Zebrafish embryos exhibited mortality, altered hatchability, and developmental abnormalities following tributyltin exposure

ABSTRACT: Tributyltin (TBT), an organotin-endocrine-disrupting substance, is recognized as one of the most important toxic environmental pollutants. The present study was carried out to investigate the developmental toxicity of TBT on zebrafish embryos. Eggs of zebrafish were exposed to 2.5, 5, and 10 µg of TBT per liter of E3 medium for 72 hours to evaluate various parameters of developmental toxicity. The TBT exposure resulted in a dose-dependent negative effect on the hatching rate and increased larval mortality. Different abnormalities in larvae, following exposure to various concentrations of TBT, have also been observed. The tail and spinal deformities, along with dwarfism, were important abnormalities observed in TBT-exposed zebrafish embryos. It has been concluded that tributyltin produced deleterious effects on embryos and larvae during developmental stages, along with multiple deformities that ultimately affected the survival and growth of fish