VALIDATION OF ORGANOTIN COMPOUND DETERMINATION IN ENVIRONMENTAL-SAMPLES USING NABET(4) ETHYLATION AND GC-FPD

A reliable and rapid speciation method for the determination of both b utyl-and phenyltin compounds in environmental samples has been develop ed. Organotins are extracted from solid matrices by acid leaching. The analytical procedure is based on the one-step simultaneous ethylation /extraction using the reaction with sodium tetraethylborate in aqueous phase in the presence of isooctane. Direct analysis of the organic la yer is performed using gas chromatography interfaced to Flame Photomet ric Detection (GC-FPD). Absolute detection limits of a few pg tin are reached. The technique has been validated by its application to differ ent polluted environmental samples: wastewaters, sediments and biologi cal tissues from marine and freshwater environments and intercompariso ns on freshwater sediment and a mussel sample.