NMKL 205. TRACE ELEMENTS SPECIES – Tributyltin (TBT). Determination in seafood by isotope dilution GC-ICP-MS after acid extraction and derivatization.
Organotin compounds are man-made chemicals used as, e.g., antifungal agents in textiles and paper, wood pulp and paper mill systems, breweries, and industrial catalysts. Tributyltin (TBT) has been used as a marine antifouling agent and is the main organotin compound found in marine biota and foodstuffs. TBT is highly toxic to marine life and humans are exposed to TBT by the ingestion of e.g., contaminated seafood, water, and beverages. TBT has been banned as a marine antifouling agent and environmental quality standards have been set. In 2004, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) set a tolerable daily intake (TDI) of 0.25 μg/kg b.w. for the organotin group consisting of TBT, dibutyltin, triphenyltin and di-n-octyltin.
This method describes the determination of the main butyltin specie TBT at low levels in seafood using gas chromatography inductively coupled plasma isotope dilution mass spectrometry (GC-ICP-IDMS).
NMKL Method 205