Determination of organotin compounds in water by headspace solid phase microextraction with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

This investigation evaluates headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) to determine trace levels of organotins in water. The organotins were derivatized in situ with sodium tetraethylborate and adsorbed on a poly(dimethysiloxane) (PDMS)-coated fused silica fiber. The SPME experimental procedures to extract organotins in water were at pH 5, with extraction and derivatization simultaneously at 45 °C for 30 min in a 2% sodium tetraethylborate solution and a sample solution volume in the ratio of 1:1, and desorption in the splitless injection port of the GC at 260 °C for 2 min. Detection limits are determined to be in the low ng/L range. According to the analysis, the linearity range is from 10 to 10,000 ng/L with R.S.D. values below 12% except triphenyltin (24%). The proposed method was tested by analyzing surface seawater from the harbors on the Taiwanese coast for organotins residues. Some organotins studied were detected in the analyzed samples. Results of this study demonstrate the adequacy of the headspace SPME–GC–MS method for analyzing organotins in sea water samples.