Analytical Determination of Stannanes in Different Biological Samples

Three species of stannanes were determined in different biological samples obtained from the sea water of the Arabian Gulf. Following digestion with acetonitrile, and extraction with n-hexane, the analytes were derivatized and subsequently analyzed in gas chromatography mass spectrometric system. Five-point calibrations using the concentration range of 0.05-10 μg/g were linear with coefficients of determination between 0.9892 and 0.9992. LODs of 7.7-14.1 μg/g with their corresponding LOQ were determined at S/N of 3 and 10 respectively with precision of ≤14.3%. All the three species of the phenylated tin determined were quantified in all the samples with the exceptions of Trivially fish, Crab, Indian Mackerel, Stripped red mullet and Emperor fish. Only monophenyltin was detected in Trivially fish and Crab. Triphenyltin tin was absent in Indian mackerel, and diphenyl tin was not detected in both Stripped red mullet and Emperor fish. The range of 0.097-5.870 μg/g wet weight was obtained for the individual species of stannanes in the samples, an indication for the contamination of the biota samples. Results of calculation for the ratios of triphenyltin to its two main degradation products may suggest long residence of triphenyltin in the environment due to its slow rate of degradation.