In order to clarify the effect of the contamination of organotin compounds
in a marine environment oil the imposex of gastropods, the speciation and l
evels of steroid hormones of the organisms were investigated by means of th
e GC/MS method. Testosterone and 17 beta -estradiol were first identified a
nd quantitated in the testes and ovaries of Thais clavigera, respectively.
In addition, androsterone, estrone and ethynlestradiol were also found in t
he respective tissues of Babylonia japonica. The extraction and refining pr
ocedures were constructed, and the passage of C-8-SPE was quite effective f
or clean-up of the steroid fractions. The recovery of testosterone and 17 b
eta -estradiol through the whole procedure were examined by adding a surrog
ate compound, 17 beta -estradiol-d(3). Good recoveries of between 83% ana 9
6% were obtained. Based on these, the concentrations of testosterone in the
testes and 17 beta -estradiol in the ovaries of both marine gastropods wer
e well determined. The testes of Babylonia japonica were stained both histo
logically and immunohistochemically to observe the presence of inter- stiti
al cells, testosterone producing cells known in mammals.