Distribution of butyltins in the waters and sediments along the coast of India

► In India the data on organotin pollution is very sparse. ► We present the first set of data on TBT pollution from some of the major ports of India. ► Most of the port areas are highly polluted. ► Legislations to control the usage of TBT based antifouling paints in India are necessary. Water and surface sediment samples were analyzed for butyltins (TBT, DBT, MBT) from various ports along the east and west coast of India. The total butyltin (TB) in water samples varied between ∼1.7 and 342ngSnl−1, whereas for sediments it varied between below detection limit to 14861ngSng−1 dry weight of sediment. On an average Chennai port recorded the highest level of butyltins in the sediments while Paradip recorded the highest level of butylins in the waters. A fairly good relationship between the TB in the sediment and overlying water samples, as well as between organic carbon and TB, implicates the importance of adsorption/desorption process in controlling the levels of TBT in these port areas. In India the data on organotin pollution is very sparse; most of the port areas have been surveyed for butyltins for the first time during this study.