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Perspectives on Marine Environment Change in Hong Kong and Southern China, 1977-2001 (ed . B. Morton). Proceedings o f a n Internationa l Worksho p Reunio n Conference, Hon g Kong 21-26 Octobe r 2001. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press , 2003 . THE EFFECTS O F ORGANOTIN POLLUTION O N NASSARIUS FESTIVUS (POWYS , 1835) (GASTROPODA : NASSARIIDAE) I N HONG KON G K. Cha n an d Bria n Morto n The Swire Institute of Marine Science and Department of Ecology an d Biodiversity , The University o f Hong Kong, Hong Kong ABSTRACT Organotin pollutio n i n Hong Kong causes imposex i n Nassarius festivus. Evidenc e of organotin contamination has been shown for Tai Tam Bay, Tung Chung Bay, Shui Hau, Chi Ma Wan, Ting Kok, Starfish Bay , Tai Mong Tsai, Pak Sha Chau and Lai Chi Wo. More detaile d studie s wer e undertake n a t Tai Mon g Tsai , Tai Ta m Ba y an d Starfis h Bay where the frequency impose x occurrence and the mean Relative Penis Length Index values for N. festivus wer e 100% , 71.5%, 2.0% and 69.1%, 41.2%, 4.0%, respectively. These result s indicat e tha t organoti n pollutio n wa s mos t seriou s a t Ta i Mon g Tsai , followed b y Tai Tam Bay and Starfish Bay . Laboratory experiment s suggeste d tha t a concentratio n o f 1 jLLg-l_ 1 of tributylti n chloride (TBT ) i n seawate r induce d impose x i n Nassarius festivus afte r a n exposur e period o f 1 4 days. In addition, the lethal concentration (96-h r LC50) value for a n acute toxicity test on adult N festivus wa s 320 jig-H while the lethal concentration (48-hr LC50) value for conspecifi c veliger s was 5.7 (Lig-l-1 . Organotin di d no t steriliz e femal e Nassarius festivus b y blockag e o f th e oviduc t and, hence, populations ar e not extirpated i n areas where such pollution i s serious. As a result, in places where the other Hong Kong organotin pollution indicator, i.e., Thais clavigera, i s not found because rocks and other hard structures are absent, the sand and mudflat dwelling N festivus, wit h a wide local and regional distribution, is an alternative biomonitor o f TBT contamination . 556 K. CHAN & B. MORTON INTRODUCTION The Port of Hong Kong Geographically, Hon g Kon g i s surrounde d b y dee p an d sheltere d water s whic h allo w the saf e transfe r o f carg o fro m foreig n carrier s t o coastal an d river craft . Hon g Kon g was thu s founde d a s a China trad e port som e 16 0 years ag o an d ha s flourishe d a s an entrepot sinc e then . Hon g Kon g i s no w on e o f th e world' s majo r por t an d shippin g centres. In 1978 , China opened up its economy. This resulted in a huge increase in demand for Hon g Kong' s por t facilities, reinforcin g it s role a s the gateway an d main por t fo r trade wit h China . Th e reunificatio n o f Hon g Kon g wit h Chin a i n 199 7 furthe r strengthened it s position a s a hub port for Chin a and world trade. Hong Kong is a major internationa l maritime centre. Hong Kong owns or manages about 6%, or 32 million gross tonnes of the world fleet, making it the sixth largest ship owning centre . Over 216,00 0 ship s called a t the port of Hong Kon g in 2000, i.e., on e vessel arrivin g o r departing ever y 1. 2 minutes (Tabl e 1). The use of antifouling paint, tributyltin (TBT) Currently, the most effective marin e antifouling formulation s fo r vessel s ar e based o n organic compounds containing the metal tin, notably tributyltin (TBT). Applied to naval vessels, these organotins give up to five years' protection. TBT can be incorporated into self-polishing coatings , designed t o wear awa y gradually a s water flows by , releasin g the biofouling-inhibiting compoun d a t a constant rate. Adverse effects...

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