Substance fact sheet
The background information page contains information and concepts that will be useful in understanding some of the issues surrounding the NPI. It is strongly recommended that you read this before reading the information presented below.
For an explanation of some of the terms used in this page, see the Glossary
| Substance name | Organo-tin compounds |
| CASR number | Not applicable |
| Molecular formula | A large number of organotin compounds exist. Important organotin compounds can belong to any of four classes. These classes are related to the number of organic groups, namely tetraorganotins, triorganotins, diorganotins and monoorganotins. |
| Synonyms | Organotin compounds include tributyltin or tributylstannane (CASR# 688-73-3), tributyltin oxide or TBTO, tributylstannane, Metatin 50, Biomet (CASR# 56-35-9), triphenyltin (CASR# 668-34-8), triphenyltin acetate or fentin acetate, TPTA, triphenylstannium acetate, Batasan, Brestan, Libromatin, Lirostanol, Phenostat A, Phentinoacetate, Suzu (CASR# 900-95-8), triphenyltin hydroxide or fentin hydroxide, hydroxytriphenylstannane, hydroxytriphenyltin, triphenylstannium hydroxide, triphenyltin oxide, Haitin, Tubotin (CASR# 76-87-9), triphenyltin chloride or fentin chloride, TPTC, chlorotriphenylstannane, chlorotriphenyltin, triphenylchlorostannane, triphenylchlorotin, Aquatin, Brestanol, Phenostat-C, Tinmate (CASR# 639-58-7) fenbutatin oxide or Bendex, Neoxtanox, Osdaran, Torque, Vendex, Shell (CASR# 13356-08-6), azocyclotin or Bay Blue 1452, Peropal (CASR# 41083-11-8), and cyhexatin or TCTH, plictran, tricyclohexylhydroxystannane, tricyclohexylhydroxytin, tricyclohexylstannanol, tricyclohexylstannium hydroxide (CASR# 13121-70-5). |
Physical and chemical properties Physical properties: Organotin compounds vary in their physical properties. Properties of selected organotins follow.
Chemical properties:
|
|
Common uses Organotins with four organic groups, e.g. tetrabutyltin, tetraoctyltin and tetraphenyltin, can be used as starting materials or catalysts. Organotins with three organic groups can be powerful fungicides and bactericides, depending on the organic group R. Tributyltins (e.g. TBTO, Incidin) are industrial biocides used in antifouling paints and in wood treatment and preservation. They find use as disinfectants and agents for destroying molluscs such as snails (molluscicides). Other uses include antifungal action in textiles and industrial water systems such as cooling tower and refrigeration water systems, wood pulp and paper mill systems, and breweries. They can also be used for the control of schistosomiasis (a chronic tropical disease). Triphenyltins (e.g. Fentin, Tinmate, Brestanol) are used as agricultural fungicides and in antifouling paints. Other organotins in this class include Plictran, Bay Bue 1452, Vendex and Torque which are used as miticides/acaricides (substances used for killing mites or ticks). Organotins with two organic groups, e.g. dimethyltin, dibutyltin and diestertins, can be used as PVC heat stabilisers, as catalysts, in polyurethane formation and silicon curing, and as heat stabilisers for rigid food-packaging PVC. Organotins with one organic group, e.g. methyltin, butyltin, octyltin and monoestertins, are employed as PVC heat stabilisers. Common uses for selected organotin compounds follow. Tributyltin oxide is used as a fungicide and pesticide in timber treatments. It has been used in antifouling paints but this application is now banned by international protocol. Triphenyltin acetate is used as an insect control agent and a fungicide. Triphenyltin chloride is used as a biocide and an intermediate. Triphenyltin hydroxide is used as a chemical to sterilise insects and as a fungicide. Fenbutatin oxide is used for the control of a wide range of mites which feed on plants. Azocyclotin is a long-acting acaricide for the control of spider mites on fruits (including citrus), vines, hops, cotton, vegetables and ornamentals. Cyhexatin is used as an acaricide/miticide. |
|
Sources of emissions Point sources Organotin compounds may be released from industrial manufacture facilities (in industrial effluent or to air) or from spraying in agricultural applications. Diffuse sources, and point sources included in aggregated emissions data Triorganotins may enter waterways from antifouling coatings, molluscicide formulations for the control of snails, by spraying of agricultural biocides and by soil leaching from fields sprayed with biocides. Biocidal applications are the major contributors to organotin compounds in the environment. Natural sources Organotin compounds are not found naturally. Mobile sources Antifouling coatings on boats and other vessels. Consumer products which may contain Organo-tin compounds Some antifouling paints, some fungicides, some bactericides, some products containing PVC plastic (e.g. PVC food-packaging) may contain organotin compounds. |
|
Health effects How might I be exposed to Organo-tin compounds? Occupational exposure is the most likely point of exposure to organotin compounds. Following proper handling procedures will minimise any risk of harmful exposure. A potential source of organotins in food and beverages arises from the use of triorganotin agricultural biocides and of diorganotins as heat stabilisers in PVC packaging materials. It has been found that food normally does not contain any detectable triorganotin residues. In the unlikely event of food being contaminated with traces of triorganotins, normal processing of food will largely degrade any remaining organotins. Diorganotins may leach from the packaging on the food, but resulting concentrations are generally very low. It has been concluded that exposure to diorganotins used in PVC is small. By what pathways might Organo-tin compounds enter my body? Organotin compounds can be inhaled in commercial/industrial work environments where organotin compounds are produced or used. Ingestion is considered to be an unlikely route of entry in these environments. Some skin absorption may occur when direct contact with organotins takes place. Exposure for the general public is expected to be minimal. Relative health hazard On a health hazard spectrum of 0 - 3 Organo-tin compounds registers 1.2. A score of 3 represents a very high hazard to health, 2 represents a medium hazard and 1 is harmful to health. Factors that are taken into account to obtain this ranking include the extent of the material's toxic or poisonous nature and/or its lack of toxicity, and the evaluation of its tendency to cause, or not cause cancer and/or birth defects. It does not take into account exposure to the substance. Human exposure is reflected in the NPI rank given to this substance (see comparative data below). A substance that scores highly as a health hazard is arsenic at 2.3 and one of the lowest scores is ammonia at 1.0.  Health guidelines Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (NHMRC and ARMCANZ, 1996): Maximum of 0.001 mg/L (i.e. 0.000001 g/L) for tributyltin oxide. Worksafe Australia has set the exposure standard for organic tin compounds to 0.1 milligram/m3 (TWA, as tin) and the short term exposure level should not exceed 0.2 milligram /m3 (STEL). See the Additional Information page for current health information. The Australian NOHSC National Exposure Standards Database link is probably the most useful source of information. Note that the emissions data in the NPI database is not directly comparable with these guidelines. What effect might Organo-tin compounds have on my health? Brief contact with dialkyltin and trialkyltin compounds causes irritation of the skin and the respiratory tract. Acute intoxications can cause vomiting, headache, visual defects and abnormal electrical activity of the brain. These symptoms are unlikely to occur if proper protective measures are taken. Some organotin compounds have been reported to display anti-tumour activity. Tributyltin compounds are moderately toxic via both ingestion and dermal absorption. The tributyltin compounds may be strongly irritating to the skin and skin exposure may result in chemical burns in severe cases. Mucous membranes such as the eyes and nasal passages may also become irritated upon exposure. Shipyard workers occupationally exposed to dusts and vapours of tributyltin developed irritated skin, dizziness, difficulty in breathing and flu-like symptoms. |
|
Environmental effects Environmental Fate Organotins have a low water solubility and a strong tendency to adhere to suspended materials and sediments. Organotin particles ultimately settle to the bottom, making widespread surface water contamination unlikely. Organotin compounds appear to be moderately persistent with reported half-lives ranging from several days in freshwater to several weeks in seawater and estuarine locations, depending on the initial concentration. Organotins also adsorb strongly to soil. Although leaching from soil and transport in soil may be possible, it is unlikely to occur. Degradation of organotins to less toxic products (i.e. non-toxic inorganic tin) depends on the organotin compound and is generally accelerated by sunlight and higher temperatures. Microbial degradation is another important transformation mechanism. Biomethylation does not seem to be a significant pathway for the transformation of organotin species. As an example, degradation of tributyltin can take from several months to more than two years depending on the conditions. Environmental Transport Organotin compounds can be transported in water. Air contamination by organotins has not been reported so far. Relative hazard to the environment On an environmental spectrum of 0 - 3 Organo-tin compounds registers 1.8. A score of 3 represents a very high hazard to the environment and 0 a negligible hazard. Factors that are taken into account to obtain this ranking include the extent of the material's toxic or poisonous nature and/or its lack of toxicity, and the measure of its ability to remain active in the environment and whether it accumulates in living organisms. It does not take into exposure to the substance. Environmental exposure is reflected in the NPI rank for this substance (see comparative data below). A substance that scores highly as an environmental hazard is oxides of nitrogen at 3.0 and one of the lower scores is carbon monoxide at 0.8.  Environmental guidelines Australian Water Quality Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Waters (ANZECC, 1992): The guideline for tributyltin is 0.008 microgram/L (i.e. 0.000000008 g/L) in fresh waters and 0.002 microgram/L (i.e. 0.000000002 g/L) in marine waters respectively. See the Additional Information page for current environmental guidelines. Note that the emissions data in the NPI database is not directly comparable with these guidelines. What effect might Organo-tin compounds have on the environment? There is no evidence of accumulation of organotin compounds in the environment. However, tributyltin and triphenyltin, both active ingredients of antifouling ship paints, appear to be highly toxic to many species of aquatic organisms at parts per million level or even lower. Non-target aquatic organisms such as crustaceans, molluscs, mussels, clams and oysters may suffer structural changes, growth retardation and death. Tributyltin oxide has been shown to inhibit cell survival of marine unicellular algae. Tributyltin may be an endocrine disruptor (a substance capable of interfering with natural body hormones), with the development of male characteristics in females observed in several snail species and oysters exposed to tributyltin. Generally, larvae of any species are more sensitive to tributyltin exposure than are adult organisms. Tributyltin tends to accumulate in oysters, mussels, crustaceans, molluscs, fish and algae. Freshwater species will bioaccumulate more tributyltin than will marine organisms. In mammals, high levels of tributyltin oxide can affect the endocrine glands, upsetting the hormone levels in the pituitary, gonad, and thyroid glands. Large doses of tributyltin have been shown to damage the reproductive and central nervous systems, bone structure and the liver bile duct of mammals. Tributyltin compounds can also damage the immune system. Tributyltin can be considered moderately toxic to birds. The acute toxicity of organotin compounds to mammals decreases in the order trialkyltins > dialkyltins > monoalkyltins. Ethyl derivatives are the most toxic amongst alkyl groups, with triethyltin acetate being the most toxic of all organotin compounds. Organotins appear to be less toxic with increasing chain length of the organic group, with trioctyltin chloride being virtually non-toxic to animals. |
|
Comparative data NPI Rank Approximately 400 substances were considered for inclusion on the NPI reporting list. A risk ranking was given based on health and environmental hazard identification and human and environmental exposure to the substance. Some substances were grouped together at the same rank with 208 ranks in total. Organo-tin compounds was ranked as 72 out of the 208 ranks. Total hazard score (human health + environmental criteria) = 3.  |
|
Sources of information used in preparing this fact sheet
|
|