Detection of Organotins After Gas Chromatography by Flame lonization-Quenching

Abstract

Vapor phase organotin compounds have been found to quench ionization in a hydrogen-atmosphere flame. When this flame is used as a gas chromatographic detector, organotin compounds produce negative peaks while hydrocarbon compounds produce a positive response that is about 10⁵ times less sensitive than that of the organotin. The minimal detectable amount for tetraethyltin was determined to be 0.5 pg with a linear response range up to the nanogram region. Example applications for the determinations of bis(tributyltin) oxide in marine paint and of triphenyltin hydroxide on apple leaves are shown.