Abstract
We determined tributyltin (TBT) concentrations in seawater and bottom sediment samples collected from coastal areas around northern Kyushu in 1998. The concentrations ranged from 5 to 94 ng/L in seawater and from 7 to 1,100 ng/g dry mud in sediment. High concentrations in water and sediment were detected in Hakata Bay (water: 13-94 ng/L , sediment: 18-1,100 ng/g dry mud). In the Ariake Sea, the TBT concentrations in water (5-91 ng/L) were as high as those in Hakata Bay, whereas the TBT concentrations in sediment (16-77 ng/g dry mud) were lower than those in Hakata Bay. The higher concentrations in water collected from the Ariake Sea may be attributable to the suspension of TBT-containing sediment due to tidal turbulence which is peculiar to the Ariake Sea.
