Butyltins in the sediments of Kochi and Mumbai harbours, west coast of India

Surface sediment samples were collected from various locations in the Mumbai and Kochi harbours, west coast of India, to assess the presence of butyltin compounds. Tributyltin (TBT) and dibutyltin (DBT) varied from 16 to 16,816 ng/g dry wt. and from undetected to 469 ng/g dry wt., respectively, of the sediment in Kochi harbour. In Mumbai harbour, the values of TBT and DBT ranged between 4.5 and 1193 ng/g dry wt. and from undetected to 131 ng/g dry wt. of the sediments, respectively. The concentrations of both TBT and DBT showed strong seasonal variation probably due to the effect of tides and currents. Nevertheless, the levels of butyltin compounds were generally higher at sites influenced by shipping activities such as navigation, dry dock and ship-building activities. The presence of DBT indicates the abiotic or microbiological degradation of TBT. Compared to TBT, DBT was relatively less abundant, suggesting either fresh inputs of TBT and/or less degradation of TBT. The concentrations of TBT showed significant positive relationships with organic carbon and lipid, implying that both lipophilic and ionic interactions were probably involved in controlling the abundance of TBT at these sediments. The observed levels of butyltin compounds are much higher than those required to induce toxic effects on marine organisms, suggesting that these sediments were contaminated with butyltin compounds.     

Sources of hydrocarbons in sediments of the Mandovi estuary and the Marmugoa harbour, west coast of India

Surface sediments were collected from various locations of the Mandovi estuary and the Marmugoa harbour. Sediments were analysed for organic carbon (OC), total lipids, n-alkanes concentration and composition. Concentrations of OC, total lipids and n-alkanes varied spatially and ranged from 1 to 2.5%, 176 to 1413 microg/g dry weight (dw) sediments, and 0.8 to 3.2 microg/g dw sediments of the Mandovi estuary, respectively; and from 0.6 to 2.9%, 233 to 1448 microg/g dw sediments, and 1.6 to 10.7 microg/g dw sediments in the Marmugoa harbour, respectively. Long chain, odd carbon n-alkanes (C(23)-C(33)) in the Mandovi estuary, whereas short chain, even carbon n-alkanes (C(11)-C(21)) in the Marmugoa harbour sediments were more abundant. The total HC concentrations, n-alkane composition, CPI, UCM and other evaluation indices suggest the dominance of terrestrial hydrocarbons in the estuarine while petroleum derived hydrocarbons in the harbour sediments. This conclusion was further supported by the abundance of hopanes with C(29) to C(34) alpha, beta compounds and steranes with C(27), C(28) and C(29) compounds in the harbour sediments.