Organotin speciation in Bizerte lagoon (Tunisia)

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2005-10, Vol.349 (1), p.211-222
• Main Authors: Mzoughi, N., Lespes, G., Bravo, M., Dachraoui, M., Potin-Gautier, M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analytical chemistry; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Applied sciences; Biological and medical sciences; Bivalvia; Bivalvia - chemistry; Bizerte lagoon; Brackish; Chemical Sciences; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Ethylation; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gas chromatography; Geologic Sediments - analysis; Liquid–liquid extraction; Marine and brackish environment; Mollusca; Mussel tissue; Natural water pollution; Organotin compounds; Organotin Compounds - analysis; Pollution; Pollution, environment geology; Pulsed flame photometric detector (PFPD); Seasons; Seawater; Seawaters, estuaries; Sediment; Solid phase microextraction (SPME); Tunisia; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water treatment and pollution
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2004.12.067

For the first time, organotins have been assessed in samples collected from Bizerte lagoon, in Tunisia, during two seasons (summer and winter). The organotin distribution was studied in marine sediments and mussels tissues of this lagoon. Butyl-, phenyl- and octyltins were determined using a rapid speciation analytical method based on one-step ethylation/extraction with sodium tetraethylborate in aqueous phase. Simultaneously to the ethylation, the extraction was performed by either liquid/liquid extraction (LLE) or head-space solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME). Gas chromatography with pulsed flame photometric detection (GC-PFPD) was used to perform quantitative determination. The technique has been validated using biological and sediment reference materials. The different samples from Bizerte lagoon were found to be moderately contaminated, especially by butyltins. This pollution was attributed to industrial activities, which are very important in this area. Organotins appeared accumulated in both sediments and mussels, while significant degradations of triorganotins to monosubstituted ones was observed in water.