single toxicant before it, yet one that has now been brought under effective control-at least in estuaries and the nearshore environment. The problem with TBT and its cause was first recognized in France, then in the United Kingdom and the United States of America; and in these and other countries legislation is now in place (see Abel, Chapter 2; Champ and Wade, Chapter 3), but in many countries the hazard is only now being identified. This volume has the important function of making available to all a summary of the results of work on TBT and the main conclusions. It will help to minimize the duplication of research and speed the introduction of legislation around the world to control organotin pollution. It is the more valuable because research on TBT has often been published in less accessible journals and symposium proceedings. This volume brings together accounts of these findings by the major contributors to the TBT story, providing the most comprehensive account to date. The TBT problem has proved to be instructive in a number of different ways beyond the bounds of the specific issue (Stebbing, 1985). Most important is that TBT can be seen as a challenge to monitoring systems for nearshore waters, by which it can be judged how effective monitoring has been in fulfilling its purpose, and what improvements should be made. Most instructive was the time it took to bring TBT under control.

Where can we dispose of our waste is a issue virtually every community and industry in the country must face. For years, this often meant disposing of large amounts of waste materials in the Nation's marine environment. A broad assessment of waste disposal in marine environments, this book addresses two fundamental questions: what is the general condition of different marine environments and their resources, and what role can and should marine environments play in overall waste management. Based on two OTA reports, the book examines an enormous amount of information from a number of important perspectives.

This report briefly synthesizes technical literature on ecological and toxicological aspects of inorganic and organic tin compounds in the environment, with emphasis on fishery and wildlife resources. Subtopics include sources and uses, environmental chemistry, background concentrations in biological and nonbiological samples, lethal and sublethal effects in aquatic organisms, birds, and mammals, and proposed criteria for the protection of sensitive organisms. parag Keywords: contaminants; toxicity; fishes; wildlife; natural resources; invertebrates; aquatic organisms; tin; organotins; heavy metals; metabolism; sublethal effects.

Organotin compounds, used as antifouling biocides since 1960, are chemical compounds that act as endocrine disrupters. It is not known how organotin compounds cause hormone disturbance, however, and many questions remain about their effect on aquatic organisms. Studies on organotin compounds have recently evolved, with many new findings reported. Following a worldwide ban on organotin compounds in 2008, alternative compounds will mainly be used, with the potential for coastal areas to become contaminated, causing, among other effects, cholinesterase inhibition in aquatic organisms. Use of alternative compounds must be controlled to avoid such errors. These and other findings are described and concisely summarized in this book, providing a useful reference in countries where alternative biocides are being considered. Included are studies on the effects on marine organisms, making this book an excellent aid to experts in environmental chemistry, to government organizations, and to students.