Determination of butyl- and phenyltin compounds in biological material by gas chromatography-flame photometric detection after ethylation with sodium tetraethylborate

A reliable and rapid speciation method for the simultaneous determination of butyl- and phenyltin species in biological samples has been developed. Three extraction procedures are compared: enzymatic hydrolysis and solubilization by ethanoic and hydrochloric acids. Derivatization is performed by the one-step ethylation/extraction procedure using the sodium tetraethylborate reagent directly in the aqueous phase in the presence of an isooctane layer. Analysis is performed using capillary gas chromatography coupled to flame photometric detection. The detection limits are in the range of a few ng(Sn)/g. Analysis of the environmental samples and the certified reference material demonstrates the accuracy of the analytical method.     

Determination of butyltins in environmental samples using sodium tetraethylborate derivatisation: characterisation and minimisation of interferences

Interferences affecting the determination of butyltin species by sodium tetraethylborate (STEB) derivatisation followed by purge-trap preconcentration were systematically studied using synthetic solutions, natural water samples and sediment extracts. Substances that did not cause interferences included most common cations (apart from those metal ions listed below), anions, metalloids and polar organic compounds. Natural organic matter (NOM) specifically interfered with tributyltin (TBT) due to a mechanism involving partitioning of the butyltin to the hydrophobic portions of the NOM. The metal ions Ag(I) (≥2 μM), Cd(II) (≥2 μM), Cu(II) (≥0.5 μM) interfered predominantly with the determination of monobutyltin (MBT) due to catalytic degradation of the STEB reagent. Pb(II) (≥14 μM) interfered with butyltin determination by an unknown mechanism. Other interferences to the purge-trap method were shown to occur in the presence of chelating agents (e.g. EDTA) or hydrophobic liquids such as diesel fuel. A mixture comprising methanol (MeOH), EDTA and Mn(II) was used to partially mask the effect of interfering NOM and metals. Spike recoveries (mean±S.D. of n=7 different samples) of MBT, dibutyltin (DBT) and TBT in contaminated natural water samples were improved from 70±36,90±11 and 91±24 to 102±10,98±3 and 98±4%, respectively. Spike recoveries (mean±S.D. of n=5 different samples) of MBT, DBT and TBT in aliquots of sediment extracts were improved from 86±17,79±18 and 59±32 to 97±6.2,103±3.6 and 103±5.0%, respectively. The ability to analyse larger aliquots of sediment extracts in the presence of the masking mixture improved the detection limit four-fold if MBT and DBT determination was required and 10-fold if only TBT determination was required.     

In situ ethylation of organolead,organotin and organomercury species by bromomagnesium tetraethylborate prior to GC‐ICP‐MS analysis

An analytical method for simultaneous in situ ethylation, of organolead, organotin and organomercury compounds in aqueous samples was developed using a new derivatisation agent, bromomagnesium tetraethylborate (BrMgEt₄B). The determination of lead, tin and mercury compounds was done by species‐specific isotope dilution, derivatisation and GC–inductively coupled plasma MS (GC‐ICP‐MS) or by GC‐MS. The recovery and accuracy of the derivatisation were evaluated. The effect of pH and the relative quantity of derivatisation agent were studied.     

Improvements of reliability for methylmercury determination in environmental samples

The determination of methylmercury (MeHg) in environmental samples by ethylation derivation-gas chromatography-atomic fluorescence spectrometry (ED-GC-AFS) is associated with an intimate problem of water moisture accumulation introduced in the ethylation step, which enters the detection system and cause a spectroscopic interference. With a simple modification on the GC-AFS system, this problem was eliminated and the analytical quality of the measurements was significantly improved. The presence of dissolved sulfide in samples can also cause serious chemical interference in the ethylation step resulting in lower or total loss of the MeHg signal. It was found that a masking system of CuSO₄-Na₂C₂O₄ was able to eliminate this interference. With this system, the accurate determination of trace amount of MeHg in high dissolved sulfide containing samples was achieved. Satisfactory analytical results were obtained with the certified reference sediment IAEA405, sulfate reducing bacteria culture and sulfide containing water samples. The limit of detection and quantitation of this masking system is 0.01 and 0.04 ng L⁻¹ respectively. Other factors affecting ethylation are also discussed.     

ortho-Selective ethylation of phenol with ethanol catalyzed by bimetallic mesoporous catalyst, CoAl-MCM-41

CoAl-MCM-41 (X) catalysts with X = n_Si/(n_Co + n_Al) various ratios were synthesized and ethylation of phenol with ethanol was studied in vapor-phase at temperatures between 250 and 450 °C. The products obtained were O-alkylated product (ethyl phenyl ether), C-alkylated products (2-ethylphenol and 4-ethylphenol), and C-/O-alkylated products (ethyl ethylphenyl ether). The phenol conversion increased significantly with reaction temperature over all the catalysts. The activity of the catalysts followed the order CoAl-MCM-41 (20) > CoAl-MCM-41 (50) > CoAl-MCM-41 (80). Selectivity between the C-alkylation and the O-alkylation depended on the factors such as acidity of the catalyst and the reaction temperature. CoAl-MCM-41 (20) catalyst displayed a phenol conversion of 40% and a selectivity of more than 80% for 2-ethylphenol under the optimized reaction condition. The ethanol to phenol ratios and the reactant flow rate are also influential for both activity and selectivity of CoAl-MCM-41 catalysts.     

Aryl ethyl ethers prepared by ethylation using diethyl carbonate

Abstract

An environmentally more convenient reaction for the production of industrially important aryl ethyl ethers (ArOEts) is described. ArOEts were selectively obtained in essentially quantitative yields by the reaction of corresponding (hetero)aromatic alcohols (ArOHs) with diethyl carbonate as the environmentally friendly alkylating reagent in the presence of N,N-dimethylacetamide used as polar aprotic cosolvent, and sodium ethoxide as the base. The reactions were carried out in the air under atmospheric pressure at 137°C. Reaction equilibrium was shifted by distilling the ethanol from the reaction mixture. All ArOEts were isolated by evaporation of the reaction mixture, and subsequent extraction with water and diethoxymethane. The ethylation agent and used solvents were non-toxic, recyclable and biologically degradable. Wastewater from the extraction was successfully treated by Fenton oxidation and returned to the next work-up process.     

The effect of coordination on the reaction of N-tosyl imines with diethylzinc

The effect of coordination on the reaction of N-tosyl imines and diethylzinc was studied in detail. It showed that there was strong coordination between N-tosyl imine and diethylzinc. Due to this coordination, N-tosyl imines could be reduced directly through the β-H transferring mechanism by diethylzinc in nonpolar solvents to afford the corresponding secondary amines in excellent yields at mild conditions. The coordination of diethylzinc and N-tosyl imine was hindered by reacting in polar solvents or adding TMEDA to the reaction, it afforded ethylating product partially or exclusively.     

Determination of butyltin species in natural waters using aqueous phase ethylation and off-line room temperature trapping

Monobutyltin (MBT), dibutyltin (DBT) and tributyltin (TBT) were determined in natural water samples by aqueous phase ethylation with sodium tetraethylborate (STEB), room temperature trapping of the resulting volatile derivatives on Tenax TA^®, followed by gas chromatography-quartz furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GC-QFAAS). Recoveries of butyltin spikes from natural water samples were 90-109% at concentrations of ∼100 ng Sn/l. The method precision at ∼100 ng Sn/l was ≤6% RSD for butyltins spiked into natural waters. The detection limits for 1 l water samples were <1 ng Sn/l for all butyltin species. Sample throughput of the method is high (greater than three samples per hour) due to the two-stage nature of the procedure, which allows derivatisation/trapping and GC-QFAAS quantitation to be performed separately. Off-line trapping is also advantageous as it extends the life of the GC column and quartz furnace to at least 12 months due to minimisation of carry-over of co-purged material.     

Determination of fluoroacetic acid in water and biological samples by GC-FID and GC-MS in combination with solid-phase microextraction

A novel procedure has been developed for determination of fluoroacetic acid (FAA) in water and biological samples. It involves ethylation of FAA with ethanol in the presence of sulfuric acid, solid-phase microextraction of the ethyl fluoroacetate formed, and subsequent analysis by GC-FID or by GC-MS in selected-ion-monitoring mode. The detection limits for FAA in water, blood plasma, and organ homogenates are 0.001 μg mL⁻¹, 0.01 μg mL⁻¹, and 0.01 μg g⁻¹, respectively. The determination error at concentrations close to the detection limit was less than 50%. For analysis of biological samples, the approach has the advantages of overcoming the matrix effect and protecting the GC and GC-MS systems from contamination. Application of the approach to determination of FAA in blood plasma and organ tissues of animals poisoned with sodium fluoroacetate reveals substantial differences between the dynamics of FAA accumulation and clearance in rabbits and rats.     

Optimization of an analytical method for determining organotin compounds in fish tissue by base-hydrolysis pretreatment and simultaneous ethylation-extraction procedures

To determine butyl- and phenyl-tins in fish muscle, a method including base digestion pretreatment, followed by a simultaneous ethylation-extraction procedure and gas chromatograph-flame photometric detector (GC-FPD) analysis is outlined. Key parameters that influence analyte recovery were investigated and optimized. A solution of 3% (w/v) potassium hydroxide (KOH) and 1 h digestion time at 60 °C were chosen in the base digestion step, to ensure complete solubilization of fish muscle and the decomposition of organotins was found to be insignificant. We found that the ratio of fish muscle/reaction solution should not exceed 0.2 g (dry weight) per 100 mL in order to avoid the matrix effect caused by the binding of hydrolyzed fish tissue with organotin ions. Ethylation of organotins were conducted at pH 6-7 with a 1% (w/v) sodium tetraethylborate (NaBEt₄) solution for 1 h. This simple and timesaving procedure should be able to be applied to the routine analysis of organotins in other bio-tissues.