Abstract
Surface samples of water were collected from the Ochlockonee River estuary (NW Florida), Suwannee River estuary, Chesapeake Bay, Delaware Bay, Tejo River estuary (Portugal) and Tamar River estuary (Cornwall). Sn was determined by flame photometry coupled with hydride generation and cryogenic trapping. Total particulate Sn, Fe and Al were determined after fusion with Li borate; As was determined by hydride generation-AAS, Ge by flame emission spectroscopy, and Mn by formaldoxime method. Riverine fluxes of Sn to the oceans are 0.76 X 10 (super 6) mol/yr (dissolved fraction), and 300-600 X 10 (super 6) mol/yr for the particulate fraction, the latter agreeing with the denudation rates. Estuaries do not have a large effect on the transport of Sn to the oceans. Remobilization of Sn occurs in an estuary highly polluted from Sn mining and smelting. Monobutyl-tin occurs in polluted estuaries as a degradation product of tributyl-tin additives to antifouling paint.