| Within the framework of this project, the development of a method capable of carrying out the simultaneous analysis of organotin compounds, organolead compounds, DDT and its two principal products of degradation present in hepatic tissues is undertaken. The method is comprised of four steps: the extraction of the compounds from the hepatic tissues, the derivatization of the non-volatile organotins into a volatile species, the cleaning of the samples using solid phase extraction and the analysis of the samples using a gas chromatograph coupled to a mass selective detector.; The results obtained during the analysis of environmental samples are interesting. Tetraethyllead is present in measurable amounts in all samples indicating a possible recent exposure for the five specimens in question. As for the derivatized organotin compounds, tributyltin is only present in a measurable concentration in one sample indicating that this compound is likely degrading in the environment since dibutyltin, its primary degradation product, is present in the liver of the five specimens analyzed. These findings indicate that the restrictions imposed on the use of tributyltin to reduce environmental concentrations are having the desired effect. This is also the case for the pesticides where DDT isn't present in any of the samples while DDE, a degradation product of DDT, is present in easily measurable concentrations in the liver of the three dolphin specimens, as well as present in one of the turtle liver samples. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)... |
