TBT comes from a variety of things, such as wood treatment, antifouling on boats, and other things. These are let into the water and become very toxic to fish and other aquatic creatures. As quoted from the Extension Toxicology Network "Tributyltin compounds are moderately toxic via both ingestion and dermal absorption" and it has an affect on organs "In mammals, high levels of TBTO can affect the endocrine glands, upsetting the hormone levels in the pituitary, gonad, and thyroid glands. Large doses of TBT cause damage to the reproductive and central nervous systems, bone structure, and the liver bile duct of mammals. TBT compounds can also damage the immune system.".
In sea life specifically, the Extension Toxicology Network states "Tributyltin compounds are highly to very highly toxic to many species of aquatic organisms. TBT exposure to non-target aquatic organisms such as mussels, clams, and oysters, at low levels, may cause structural changes, growth retardation, and death. TBT is very highly toxic to crustaceans. Lobster larvae show a nearly complete cessation of growth at just 1.0 UG/L TBT [200]. {UG stands for microgram it is 1/1,000,000 of a gram}.".
There is a report in Science News that linked many dolphin deaths to a possible tributyltin connection. As quoted from the February 8, 1997 edition "Dolphins that died along U.S. coasts show accumulations of tributyltin, an ingredient in marine paint that may have suppressed the animals' immune systems.".
It is scary to know that TBT is in the food that you eat, especially knowing what it can do to your organs. When we dispose of these chemicals, they find their way into the sea. They hurt not only all the marine life, but all human life as well. People who dump these materials into the sea become threats to humankind, poisoning the food that we eat and the water that we drink; moreover, there are worse things that are dumped into the ocean, such as oil.
