An attempt to certify phenyltin compounds in a mussel reference material

Abstract

Organotin contamination of the marine environment can be considered one of the main environmental problems in the last 20 years. Starting from the ‘Arcachon case’, monitoring campaigns have been carried out worldwide in order to evaluate the concentration levels of these compounds in the marine environment. In 1987 the EC Standards, Measurements and Testing Programme (formerly BCR) started a ‘tin speciation’ project to assess and improve the quality of measurements in this field and to make available reference materials. Ten years of study within the framework of this project have produced results in the fields of method development and production of reference materials, particularly for butyltins. The quality of the phenyltin analytical results was lower than for butyltins and further efforts are still needed. To overcome this shortfall, the last certification campaign was aimed towards the certification of phenyltins, as well as butyltins, in a candidate mussel certified Reference Material. The results of the homogeneity and stability tests for phenyltins and of the certification campaign are presented here. The preparation of the material and the analytical methods used in the certification campaigns are also described. The certification of phenyltins was hindered by their lack of long-term stability; nevertheless, the exercise provided information about the state-of-the-art of phenyltin measurements in biological samples. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.