title: Derivatization of tributyltin with sodium tetrakis(4-fluorophenyl)-borate for sensitivity improvement of tandem mass spectrometry.
abstract: Derivatization of tributyltin for tandem mass spectrometry is described. Tributyltin (TBT) and triphenyltin (TPT) were derivatized with sodium tetrakis(4-fluorophenyl)borate. After optimization of their MS/MS conditions, derivatization conditions were examined. Under the optimum conditions using in-situ derivatization, the calibration curves for the TBT and TPT were linear in the ranges of 0.4 - 200 and 1.2 - 200 pg of Sn, respectively. The detection limits for TBT and TPT were 0.07 and 0.43 pg of Sn, respectively. In the case of TBT, the detection limit with 4-fluorophenylation was improved about five times compared with that with pentylation (0.35 pg). This improvement is ascribed to the bond-dissociation energy of Sn-aryl being stronger than that of Sn-alkyl. Namely, the selective fragmentation of 4-fluorophenyl TBT resulted in high sensitivity. The relative recoveries of TBT and TPT from seawater were 99 and 109%, respectively. The method was successfully applied to the seawater samples.
authors.affiliation: Research Centerfor Environmental Preservation, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan. tsunoi@epc.osaka-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tsunoi
authors.forename: Hirotaka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shioji
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanaka