Biotransformation of butyltin compounds using pure strains of microorganisms

The debutylation of tributyltin chloride by several strains of fungi, yeasts and bacteria is described. Under standard conditions and with low initial concentration of substrate, significant biotic degradation of tributyltin (6–32%) was detected after five days at 28°C. Dibutyltin and monobutyltin were formed in all cases, with higher yields of the latter. Two microorganisms catalysed the transformation of monobutyltin to dimethyltin and trimethytin whereas all microorganisms were able to methylate inorganic tin(IV) to trimethyltin. Our results suggest that tributyltin biodegradation by microorganisms is generally possible, provided sufficiently low concentrations of substrate are used.