Positive impact of the legislation on organotins contamination in the marine environment of Hong Kong

Yan Jiang; Man Sze Kwok; Huiju Lin; Rainbow W.S. Leung; Shaopeng Xu; Juan C. Astudillo; Mengyang Liu; Kenneth M.Y. Leung

doi:10.1016/j.envint.2025.109486

Positive impact of the legislation on organotins contamination in the marine environment of Hong Kong

Yan Jiang, Man Sze Kwok, Huiju Lin, Rainbow W.S. Leung, Shaopeng Xu, Juan C. Astudillo, Mengyang Liu^*, Kenneth M.Y. Leung^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

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Abstract

Since September 2008, the use of organotin compounds (OTs) on antifouling systems on seagoing vessels has been globally banned by the International Maritime Organisation due to their toxic effects to non-target marine organisms. However, the regulation enforcement varies by government, hindering its effectiveness in controlling OTs contamination. For example, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Government enacted related legislation in January 2017. This study, conducted from 2022 to 2023, aimed to assess whether this law and its enforcement had significantly reduced OTs contamination in Hong Kong’s marine environment. The results showed significant reductions in concentrations of butyltins (BTs) in seawater and total OTs in the rock shell Reishia clavigera from 2010 to 2023, though only dibutyltin (DBT) decreased in sediment. Triphenyltin (TPT) was identified as the predominant compound in all matrices, with levels correlating positively with shipping activities. Imposex levels in R. clavigera also significantly decreased, as indicated by the vas deferens sequence index and the proportion of sterile female compared to 2010 and 2015. A probabilistic risk assessment based on tissue burden of tributyltin (TBT) and TPT in R. clavigera suggested that current TBT levels no longer had significant adverse effects on the gastropod, while TPT could impact 68% of their populations. Over a five-year period since the legislation, substantial reductions in BTs in coastal waters, and overall OTs in rock shells were observed, but TPT persisted at concerning levels. Continued risk management measures and regular monitoring are crucial to further mitigate TPT contamination in Hong Kong waters. © 2025 The Authors.

Original language	English
Article number	109486
Journal	Environment International
Volume	199
Online published	17 Apr 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2025.109486
Publication status	Published - May 2025

Funding

This work is supported by the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong SAR Government (Project No.: 11307121) and GuangDong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation (Project No.: 2023A1515110225). Both Yan Jiang and Mengyang Liu are partially supported by the State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution (SKLMP) which receives regular research funding from the Innovation and Technology Commission (ITC) of the Hong Kong SAR Government (Project No.: 9448002). However, any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication do not reflect the views of the HKSAR Government or the ITC. The authors would like to thank Rachel H.L. Tsoi, Nick Ng, Gabriel Y. Lee, Thomas K.T. Leung, Keran Yang and Meng Yan for their kind assistance in the field sampling.

Research Keywords

Endocrine disrupting chemicals
Environmental policy
Pollution control
Ecosystem recovery
Ecological risk assessments

Publisher's Copyright Statement

This full text is made available under CC-BY 4.0. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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RGC-funded

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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title = "Positive impact of the legislation on organotins contamination in the marine environment of Hong Kong",

abstract = "Since September 2008, the use of organotin compounds (OTs) on antifouling systems on seagoing vessels has been globally banned by the International Maritime Organisation due to their toxic effects to non-target marine organisms. However, the regulation enforcement varies by government, hindering its effectiveness in controlling OTs contamination. For example, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Government enacted related legislation in January 2017. This study, conducted from 2022 to 2023, aimed to assess whether this law and its enforcement had significantly reduced OTs contamination in Hong Kong{\textquoteright}s marine environment. The results showed significant reductions in concentrations of butyltins (BTs) in seawater and total OTs in the rock shell Reishia clavigera from 2010 to 2023, though only dibutyltin (DBT) decreased in sediment. Triphenyltin (TPT) was identified as the predominant compound in all matrices, with levels correlating positively with shipping activities. Imposex levels in R. clavigera also significantly decreased, as indicated by the vas deferens sequence index and the proportion of sterile female compared to 2010 and 2015. A probabilistic risk assessment based on tissue burden of tributyltin (TBT) and TPT in R. clavigera suggested that current TBT levels no longer had significant adverse effects on the gastropod, while TPT could impact 68% of their populations. Over a five-year period since the legislation, substantial reductions in BTs in coastal waters, and overall OTs in rock shells were observed, but TPT persisted at concerning levels. Continued risk management measures and regular monitoring are crucial to further mitigate TPT contamination in Hong Kong waters. {\textcopyright} 2025 The Authors.",

keywords = "Endocrine disrupting chemicals, Environmental policy, Pollution control, Ecosystem recovery, Ecological risk assessments",

author = "Yan Jiang and Kwok, {Man Sze} and Huiju Lin and Leung, {Rainbow W.S.} and Shaopeng Xu and Astudillo, {Juan C.} and Mengyang Liu and Leung, {Kenneth M.Y.}",

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month = may,

doi = "10.1016/j.envint.2025.109486",

language = "English",

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AU - Jiang, Yan

AU - Kwok, Man Sze

AU - Lin, Huiju

AU - Leung, Rainbow W.S.

AU - Xu, Shaopeng

AU - Astudillo, Juan C.

AU - Liu, Mengyang

AU - Leung, Kenneth M.Y.

PY - 2025/5

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VL - 199

JO - Environment International

JF - Environment International

M1 - 109486

ER -

Positive impact of the legislation on organotins contamination in the marine environment of Hong Kong

Abstract

Funding

Research Keywords

Publisher's Copyright Statement

RGC Funding Information

UN SDGs

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GRF: Occurrence and Ecological Risk of Organotins in the Marine Environment of Hong Kong

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Positive impact of the legislation on organotins contamination in the marine environment of Hong Kong

Abstract

Funding

Research Keywords

Publisher's Copyright Statement

RGC Funding Information

UN SDGs

Access Output

Other Access Options

Permanent Link

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Projects

GRF: Occurrence and Ecological Risk of Organotins in the Marine Environment of Hong Kong

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