An almost successful story of TBT regulation to protect the coastal environments of Korea

Abstract

Tributyltin (TBT) has been actively applied to antifouling paints as a biocide additive to prevent adherence of sedentary organisms to ship hull and other structural surfaces immersed in water. TBT’s excellent antifouling performance for both the soft and hard fouling made itself as a dream antifouling agent from the 1960s. However, since its deleterious effects on non-target marine organisms were revealed at well below ppb level in the early 1980s, it has been known as one of most notorious toxicants man ever introduced to marine environments. Korea is world leading in ship building industries, and shipping activities are relatively high as a peninsula. Occurrence of TBT in multi-media and its adverse biological effects has been reported in Korean waters since middle of the 1990s. Korean government banned the use of TBT based antifouling paint on ships less than 400 tonnage from 2000 and whole ships from 2003 based on evidence of TBT contamination and biological effects. Regulatory process taken to ban on use of TBT based paints in Korea is one of good examples which controls hazardous chemicals in Korean marine environment. Effectiveness of the regulation was monitored 10 years following the total ban on use of TBT based antifouling paints in Korea. Apparent reduction of TBT concentration was found seawater and biota, and less extent in sediments. Frequency and degree of imposex in gastropod species, as a TBT soth the soft and hard fouling made itself as a dream antifouling agent from the 1960s. However, since its deleterious effects on non-target marine organisms were revealed at well below ppb level in the early 1980s, it has been known as one of most notorious toxicants man ever introduced to marine environments. Korea is world leading in ship building industries, and shipping activities are relatively high as a peninsula. Occurrence of TBT in multi-media and its adverse biological effects has been reported in Korean waters since middle of the 1990s. Korean government banned the use of TBT based antifouling paint on ships less than 400 tonnage from 2000 and whole ships from 2003 based on evidence of TBT contamination and biological effects. Regulatory process taken to ban on use of TBT based paints in Korea is one of good examples which controls hazardous chemicals in Korean marine environment. Effectiveness of the regulation was monitored 10 years following the total ban on use of TBT based antifouling paints in Korea. Apparent reduction of TBT concentration was found seawater and biota, and less extent in sediments. Frequency and degree of imposex in gastropod species, as a TBT s