A study on organotin levels in Canadian drinking water distributed throughPVC pipes

A study on organotin compounds in Canadian drinking water was carried out i n winter-spring 1996 (28 sites) and autumn 1996 (21 sites). Approximately 2 9% and 40% of distribution waters supplied through PVC pipes installed rece ntly (typically less than 6 months) contained organotin compounds in the wi nter-spring and autumn surveys respectively. Monomethyl-, dimethyl-, monobu tyl- and dibutyltin levels ranged up to 291 ng Sn/L, 49.1 ng Sn/L, 28.5 ng Sn/L and 52.3 ng Sn/L, respectively. An additional study in summer 1996, of locations where the highest organotin levels were detected in the winter-s pring survey, indicated that organotin levels had decreased in most distrib ution water samples. Samples of PVC pipe/tubing contained organotin compoun ds consistent with the organotin patterns found in the distribution water s amples.