GC determination of butyltins in natural waters by flame photometric detection of hexyl derivatives with mass spectrometric confirmation

Butyltin compounds in the 1–100 ng Sn/Liter range are solvent extracted from estuarine waters and derivatized with n-hexyl magnesium bromide. This forms tetraalkyltins that are quantified by gas chromatography with flame photometric detection and confirmed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. The n-hexyl derivatives of methyltin and butyltin species are easily separated, and quantified relative to an internal standard, tripentyltin chloride.