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Abstract
Imposex levels and organotin tissue concentrations were assessed in Nassarius reticulatus
females collected between June and August 2008 at 23 sites along the Portuguese coast.
Females with imposex were present at all sampling sites with highest levels inside
main harbors. Imposex parameters across sampling stations varied between 6.3% and
100% for %I, 0.2-4.4 for VDSI, 0.1-7.8mm for FPL, 0.3-88.9% for RPLI and 0.0-1.1 for
AOS. TBT levels varied between 3.5 and 380 ngSng(-1) dw, representing an average proportion
of 50.4% of total butyltins (summation operator BTs=MBT+DBT+TBT). Sterile females
were detected at two locations. Highly significant correlations between imposex and
TBT levels were found. The efficacy of the EU legislation banning the use of TBT-based
antifouling paints since 2003 (EC Regulation 782/2003) was evaluated by comparing
the levels of imposex observed in 2008 with those reported for 2003. OTs tissue concentrations
were also determined in preserved samples collected in 2003. There was a decrease
in imposex and TBT tissue contamination between 2003 and 2008 indicating that a decline
in TBT pollution has occurred in the Portuguese coast since the implementation of
the legislation. Considering that the EC Regulation 782/2003 is an anticipation of
the IMO AFS Convention, a global scale decrease in TBT pollution can be expected in
the near future. Despite the rapid amelioration in the Portuguese coast, TBT pollution
is still a problem as the Ecological Quality Objective (EcoQO) proposed by OSPAR Commission
was not achieved in 91% of the surveyed sites.