In this study tributyltin (TBT) was extracted from marine sediment matrix with the use of Pressurised solvent extraction (PSE), which uses high temperature and pressure conditions to increase extraction efficiency. The analyte was chromatographically resolved using an liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) system with a pentafluorophenyl (PFP) column and a methanol/aqueous formic acid mobile phase gradient, and was detected by MS/MS as product fragments after collisionally induced dissociation (CID) of the cationic parent molecule. This study represents the first application of PSE extraction combined with LC-MS/MS analysis for the determination of TBT in sediments. The method has been validated according to the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) 17025:2001 and affords automated extraction of sediment samples with high sensitivity analysis. The full method limit of detection was established as 1.25 ng Sn g^-1 with an instrument detection limit of 0.01 ng Sn g^-1. The chromatographic procedure may also be applied for the direct analysis of water matrices without the need for sample manipulation, and therefore represents a combined analytical approach for the monitoring of TBT contamination in marine or estuarine ecosystems.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	tributyltin, pressurised solvent extraction, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, sediment, water
Research Division:	Chemical Sciences
Research Group:	Analytical Chemistry
Research Field:	Analytical Spectrometry
Objective Division:	Environment
Objective Group:	Land and Water Management
Objective Field:	Coastal and Estuarine Water Management
Author:	Nichols, DS (Dr David Nichols)
Author:	Jordan, TB (Dr Timothy Jordan)
ID Code:	88641
Year Published:	2014
Web of Science® Times Cited:	2
Deposited By:	Central Science Laboratory
Deposited On:	2014-02-11
Last Modified:	2015-02-17
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