How is tbt containing paint is harmful at the sea shores?

Question

How is tbt containing paint is harmful at the sea shores?

Answer 1

According to the site listed below, TBT leaches out of the painted surfaces and accumulates in sediments.  On the effects of TBT in the ecosystem, the site states:

"TBT is responsible for the disruption of the endocrine system of marine shellfish leading to the development of male s*x characteristics in female marine snails. TBT also impairs the immune system of organisms and shellfish develop shell malformations after exposure to extremely low levels of TBT in the seawater. Recent studies conducted by the Dutch Institute for Marine Research and the Free University (VU) of Amsterdam reveal that sperm whales that live and feed in the deep ocean far from ports and shipping lanes have appreciable amounts of TBT and its breakdown products in their bodies. This indicates that TBT may be widely dispersed in the marine environment, including the deep oceans where sperm whales normally live and feed."