The relationship between tribuyltin (TBT) accumulation and toxicity to Hyalella azteca for use in identifying TBT toxicity in the field

The relationship between bioaccumulation and toxicity of tributyltin in Hyalella azteca was determined for future use in identifying freshwater sites of TBT induced toxicity in the field. Hyalella accumulated waterborne TBT rapidly, reaching equilibrium within 1 week. Short exposure times are, therefore, sufficient to measure TBT availability in laboratory or field exposures. Accumulation was not affected significantly by body size for animals between 0.1 and 0.6 mg dry weight, eliminating the need for a body size correction factor. Young amphipods were more sensitive to TBT than adults when both were exposed for 1 week. The 4-wk LC50 initiated with 0–1-week-old young was 4.8 nM. TBT accumulation was approximately proportional to TBT in water, and the 4-week LC50 expressed on a body concentration basis was 110 nmole/g dry weight. Accumulation of TBT by adult Hyalella to concentrations of about 100 nmole/g or more during short term (1-wk) exposures to environmental samples would suggest chronic TBT-induced toxicity is present at those sites.