Comparative study of ecotoxicological effect of triorganotin compounds on various biological subjects

The toxic and inhibitory effect of 10 triorganotin compounds (triphenlyl-, tribenzyl-, and tributyltins) were determined under standardized conditions on four biological subjects: Tubifex tubifex, Chironomus plumosus, Sinapis alba seeds, and the alga Scenedesmus quadricauda. Observed were the mortality of T. tubifex and Ch. plumosus after 96 hr, the root growth inhibition of S. alba seeds after 72 hr, and the inhibition of growth, photosynthesis, and chlorophyll a content of S. quadricauda after 12 days of cultivation. The effect of triorganotins was expressed as LC50 values for mortality and EC50 values for inhibition. For each subject and observed parameter the rank order of toxicity/or inhibition was arranged.