Development of an analytical method for organotin compounds in fortified flour samples using microwave-assisted extraction and normal-phase HPLC with UV detection

The normal high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection was applied for the determination of tributyltin chloride (TBT), triphenyltin chloride (TPhT), tetraphenyltin (TrPhT), triethyltin chloride (TET) and tetraethyltin (TrET) from flour samples. The separation was performed in the isocratic mode on cyanopropyl column with a mobile phase of hexane–acetonitrile–THF (97/1/2). Under the experimental conditions used, quantitative limit of TBT, TPhT, TrPhT, TET and TrET are 0.95, 0.46, 0.97, 0.75 and 0.96 μg/ml, respectively. Microwave-assisted extraction of organotin (OT) compounds at 100 °C with an extraction time of 3 min was described. The extraction of organotin can be finished in acetic acid–hexane (20/80) medium. The quantitative extraction of five organotin compounds was achieved with recoveries ranging from 88 to 101% R.S.D. 3–8%.