Simultaneous determination of trialkyltin homologues in biological materials

Taking advantage of the high sensitivity of an electron capture detector to alkyltin halides, an analytical method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of trialkyltin homologues in biological materials. Trialkyltins were purified as chlorides from tissues by simultaneous extraction with hydrochloric acid and ethyl acetate, replacement of the extraction solution with n-hexane and stepwise elution with n-hexane-ethyl acetate on a silica gel column. Alternatively, gas chromatographic analysis was carried out on 20% DEGS-HG at temperatures from 100 to 120 degrees C. Detection limits reached 1 x 10(-12) g for trialkyltin chlorides. The recoveries of trialkyltins added to various tissues at the 50-pmole level ranged from 97 to 106%. By in vivo studies, it was confirmed that this method is rapid, sensitive and applicable to biomaterials containing more than 1 ng trialkyltins per gram of tissue.