BIOTRANSFORMATION OF TRIBUTYLTIN CHLORIDE IN THE PRESENCE OF RESTING-CELL SUSPENSIONS OF PURE STRAINS OF MICROORGANISMS

We describe the degradation of tributyltin chloride by several strains of fungi, yeasts and bacteria under resting-cell conditions in phosph ate buffer, with low initial concentrations of substrate. Yields of bi otic conversion of tributyltin ranging from 10 to 77% were observed af ter a five-day incubation at 28 degrees C. In most cases, dibutyltin a nd monobutyltin compounds and a fraction of volatile products were for med. Volatile tin compounds essentially included derivatives of monobu tyltin and traces of other organomethyltins (mono-, di-, and trimethyl tins; di- and tri-butyltins), probably as the corresponding organostan nanes. Compared with conditions in which the substrate was incubated w ith growing microorganisms, higher yields of degradation and substanti al amounts of volatile products were obtained.