Organotin compounds (OTCs) are well known global pollutants. Depending on the nature and the number of the organic groups bound to the Sn cation, some organotins show specific toxic effects to different organisms, even at very low concentration levels. They are considered endocrine disruptors, as responsible for genetic, reproductive and metabolic disorders[1] and because of their persistence, OTCs presence and bioaccumulation in living organisms is still a current issue[2]. The Ministerial Decree n°260/2010 sets the environmental quality standard EQS for TBT compounds in marine sediments at 5µg/kg dw. Therefore, analytical methods in compliance with the EQS proposed to protect the aquatic environment and human beings are needed. The current methodology adopted by national and international protection agencies consists in different sequential steps, after sample lyophilization and homogenization, such as extraction, derivatisation with Grignard reagent, clean up and, finally, GC/MS determination. Since low yields of derivatization and losses of analytes can easily occur during all this complex sample preparation procedure, leading to an underestimation of OTCs content in environmental samples, more accurate and sensitive analytical methods need to be improved in order to be able to detect these compounds in complex matrices such as sediments and biota. HPLC-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (HPLC-ICP-MS) is a promising technique to satisfy these requirements. In addition, methods based on HPLC-ICP-MS can significantly simplify sample preparation step avoiding derivatization, moreover they allow for speciation of organotin compounds. Therefore, the aim of this study was the development of a hyphenated method to determine organotin compounds (tributyltin TBT, dibutyltin DBT, monobutyltin MTB), applicable to the analysis of biotic and abiotic marine samples. In order to evaluate the performance of HPLC-ICP-MS method, the results have been compared to those obtained from standard methodology adopted by protection agencies.
Speciation of organotin compounds in environmental samples
Vergine Giulia;Sarti Elena;Costa Valentina;Cavazzini Alberto;Pasti Luisa
2019
Abstract
Organotin compounds (OTCs) are well known global pollutants. Depending on the nature and the number of the organic groups bound to the Sn cation, some organotins show specific toxic effects to different organisms, even at very low concentration levels. They are considered endocrine disruptors, as responsible for genetic, reproductive and metabolic disorders[1] and because of their persistence, OTCs presence and bioaccumulation in living organisms is still a current issue[2]. The Ministerial Decree n°260/2010 sets the environmental quality standard EQS for TBT compounds in marine sediments at 5µg/kg dw. Therefore, analytical methods in compliance with the EQS proposed to protect the aquatic environment and human beings are needed. The current methodology adopted by national and international protection agencies consists in different sequential steps, after sample lyophilization and homogenization, such as extraction, derivatisation with Grignard reagent, clean up and, finally, GC/MS determination. Since low yields of derivatization and losses of analytes can easily occur during all this complex sample preparation procedure, leading to an underestimation of OTCs content in environmental samples, more accurate and sensitive analytical methods need to be improved in order to be able to detect these compounds in complex matrices such as sediments and biota. HPLC-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (HPLC-ICP-MS) is a promising technique to satisfy these requirements. In addition, methods based on HPLC-ICP-MS can significantly simplify sample preparation step avoiding derivatization, moreover they allow for speciation of organotin compounds. Therefore, the aim of this study was the development of a hyphenated method to determine organotin compounds (tributyltin TBT, dibutyltin DBT, monobutyltin MTB), applicable to the analysis of biotic and abiotic marine samples. In order to evaluate the performance of HPLC-ICP-MS method, the results have been compared to those obtained from standard methodology adopted by protection agencies.I documenti in SFERA sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
