Solid-phase microextraction followed by gas chromatography for the speciation of organotin compounds in honey and wine samples: A comparison of atomic emission and mass spectrometry detectors

An environmentally friendly method for the determination of seven organotin compounds in honey and wine samples, using headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and gas chromatography (GC), was developed. The analytes were derivatized in situ with sodium tetraethylborate, and the derivatization and preconcentration steps were optimized. A 100 μm polydimethylsiloxane fiber was the most suitable for preconcentrating the derivatized analytes from the headspace of an aqueous solution containing the sample. When microwave-induced plasma atomic emission (MIP-AED) and mass spectrometry (MS) detection were compared, higher sensitivity was attained for all compounds with MS, although MIP-AED showed more specific chromatograms. Using MS, detection limits ranged roughly from 0.3 to 4.3 pg(Sn)/g, depending on the compound for honey samples, and from 0.1 to 2 pg(Sn)/mL for wine samples. The optimized method was successfully applied to different samples, and the compounds studied were detected in some wines at 0.05–5 ng(Sn)/mL levels.