Organotin Concentrations in the Southern Chesapeake Bay

A monitoring program designed to determine the concentrations of tributyltin in waters surrounding marinas in the southern Chesapeake Bay started in January, 1986. In addition, water samples were analyzed from the Elizabeth River to ascertain the tributyltin concentrations in this highly industrialized estuary. The data show that tributyltin concentrations vary considerably over both space and time. Concentrations, an order of magnitude apart, were found at the same location within the same week and levels a factor of two different were found in samples collected from different locations at the same marina, at the same time.