Determination of trialkyltin, dialkyltin, and triphenyltin compounds in environmental water and sediments

An analytical procedure for the determination of trialkyltin (tributyltin, tripropyltin), triphenyltin and dialkyltin (dibutyltin) compounds in environmental water and sediment was studied. Water samples were extracted into benzene with hydrochloric acid and sodium chloride. Sediment samples were extracted into methanolic hydrochloric acid and converted into benzene. Silica gel, which was impregnated with hydrochloric acid and activated, was used for clean-up of these compounds. These extracts of organotin chlorides were hydrogenated with an ethanol solution of sodium borohydride. Organotin hydrides were measured by gas chromatography with electron-capture detection. Recoveries of these compounds were ca. 70-95% from river water and sediment samples. The detection limits were 0.4-0.8 micrograms/l in water and 0.02-0.04 micrograms/g in sediment samples.