DETERMINATION OF BUTYLTIN COMPOUNDS IN SEDIMENTS BY MEANS OF HYDRIDE GENERATION COLD TRAPPING GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHY COUPLED TO INDUCTIVELY-COUPLED PLASMA-MASS SPECTROMETRIC DETECTION

A procedure for the determination of butyltin compounds in sediments i s described. The method is based on the generation of volatile mono-, di- and tributyltin (MBT, DBT, TBT) hydrides from a 4% (v/v) acetic ac id medium using NaBH4. The hydrides formed are then trapped on a Chrom osorb W HP SP2100 packed glass column immersed in liquid nitrogen. Seq uential desorption of the hydrides is achieved by Nichrome sire heatin g of the column. The MET, DBT and TBT hydrides are detected by mass sp ectrometry using an inductively coupled plasma source. Detection limit s of 7, 4 and 4 pg (as Sn) for MET, DBT and TBT, respectively, were ob tained. The method was applied to the determination of organotin compo unds (DBT and TBT) in the certified reference material CRM 462 with sa tisfactory results. (C) 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.