Recovery of all species from photolytic degradation of tributyltin compounds TBTX (X = Cl, OSn Bu3)

Malformations in shellfish have been reported by many authors. They attributed the cause of the deformity to the presence in water of organotin compounds used in the formulation of antifouling paints, for example bis(tributyltin) oxide (TBTO) and tributyltin chloride (TBTC). The behaviour of these compounds has been examined under abiotic laboratory conditions. The influence of many parameters such as sunlight, pH, oxygen, salinity have been examined. The degradation compounds obtained have been identified: (1) In the gas phase two major products, butene-1 and buetene-2, are observed with consumption of oxygen; (2) In the liquid phase, three main products are obtained, butanol-1, butanol-2 and butanone 2. The identified products represent a small part of the total concentration, suggesting a competing process such as formation of butyltin polymers; (3) In fresh water an amorphous solid phase is observed while in seawater a white cristalline precipitate appears.