DETERMINATION OF BUTYLTIN AND PHENYLTIN BY GC-FPD FOLLOWING ETHYLATION BY NABET(4)

An organotin speciation method was optimized for the simultaneous dete rmination of mono-, di- and tri-butyltin compounds and mono-, di- and tri-phenyltin compounds in water, The procedure was based on a one-ste p simultaneous ethylation and extraction using the sodium tetraethylbo rate reagent directly in the aqueous phase in the presence of an isooc tane layer, Direct extract analysis was performed using capillary gas chromatography and flame photometric detection (GC-FPD), This derivati zation procedure reduces drastically the number of analytical steps, t hus saving time and improving reliability. Relative detection limits r ange from 0.4 to 0.8 ng dm(-3) for butyltin species and from 0.7 to 2. 1 ng dm(-3) for phenyltin species; the linearity ranges from 0 to 400 ng dm(-3). Analysis of environmental aqueous samples and a Certified R eference Material (CRM) demonstrates the accuracy of the analytical me thod.