IONIC ALKYL-LEADS IN SALT-MARSH PERIWINKLES (LITTORINA-IRRORATA)

Salt marsh periwinkles (Littorina irrorata), from six sites in Maryland and Virginia, were examined to determine ionic alkyllead concentrations and possible alkyllead sources in lower Chesapeake Bay. Different sources of ethylleads and trimethyllead to this species were demonstrated by statistical comparisons of the concentrations of individual analytes from different sites. These comparisons also indicated (1) that environmentally mediated methylation of Pb**2** plus contributes appreciably to Me//3Pb** plus concentrations in snails and (2) that the relative concentrations of individual analytes were consistent with an environmental methylation of ethyllead salts. Compared to females, males were characterized by significantly higher concentrations of several of the alkyllead analytes. In addition, an unknown lead-containing compound was present in all samples.