A method for analysis of butyltin species and measurement of butyltins in sediment and English sole livers from Puget Sound

A method for the determination of tetra-, tri-, di- and monobutyltin in marine sediments and in tissues from English sole was developed. The method utilized dichloromethane/tropolone extraction of the butyltins, derivatization with hexylmagnesium bromide, and a silica/alumina column cleanup prior to gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric (GC/MS) analysis. A number of quality assurance measures were incorporated in the method. Mean recoveries of the surrogate spike tripentyltin from sediment and tissue reference materials ranged from 96% to 110%. The method was applied to sediments and livers of English sole collected in Puget Sound, Washington state. Total butyltin concentrations in sediments ranged from 1000 ng/g were found in some sediments. Butyltins were also determined in livers from English sole captured at sites where sediments were contaminated with butyltins. Dibutyltin (at concentrations up to 870 ng/g dry weight as Sn) was the predominant butyltin species found in the livers.