The quantitation of butyltin and cyclohexyltin compounds in the marine environment of British Columbia

Abstract

Abstract A HPLC/GF AA procedure based on the use of C‐18 columns is described for the quantitation of butyltin species in marine samples. When a mass spectrometer was used as detector (HPLC MS), evidence was obtained for the presence of other tin compounds in the samples. Extracts of samples were treated with CH 3 MgBr and examined by using GC MS; the presence of Bu n SnMe 4− n ( n = 3–1, Bu = butyl) and Cy n SnMe 4− n ( n = 3,2, Cy = cyclohexyl) was confirmed in the derivatized seawater, bivalve flesh, and bivalve shell samples. Quantitative data are given for butyl‐ and cyclohexyl‐tin species in seawater and the surface microlayer, and oyster flesh.