DETERMINATION OF ORGANOTIN SPECIES BY CAPILLARY GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHY WITH ALTERNATING-CURRENT PLASMA EMISSION DETECTION

An alternating current plasma (ACP) emission detector is used as a detector for capillary gas chromatography (GC) in the determination of organotin compounds in environmental marine samples. Detection limits for tributyltin chloride (TBT) and tetrabutyltin (TEBT) were found to be 131 and 116 pg/s (as Sn), respectively. Calibration curves exhibited linearity over three orders of magnitude. Precision was found to be less than 8.5% relative standard devision (n = 10) for both TBT and TEBT. Results for the separation and detection of organotin compounds in complex sample matrices are presented to illustrate the selectivity of the ACP emission detector. No prior hydride formation or alkylation reactions were performed on the organotin species prior to gas chromatographic detection. Recovery data ranged from 77 to 100%. The results obtained in this study demonstrate the variability, selectivity and ease of use of the GC-ACP detector for the determination of organotin compounds.