Triphenyltin compounds, applications

Non-elemental mass spectrometry has been increasingly used with HPLC for speciation studies. Tandem mass spectrometry (mass spectrometry-mass spectrometry, MS-MS) has been of particular interest in this area. In this type of system, two mass analysers are needed and it is used as a method of achieving fragmentation of ions generated in the ion source. Arsenic has been speciated by HPLC with ion spray MS-MS (Corr and Larsen, 1996) and Miermans et al. (1997) studied the application of various ionisation methods for the analyses of triphenyltin compounds by MS-MS. 

Miermans, C.J.H., Fokkens, R.H. and Nibbering, N.M.M. (1997) A study of the applicability of various ionisation methods and tandem mass spectrometry in the analyses of triphenyltin compounds. Anal. Chim. Acta, 340, 5-20. 

Butyl- and phenyltin compounds, particularly the trialkylated forms are very toxic to marine life. The antifouling paints, mainly tributyltin (TBT) but also triphenyltin (TPhT) caused and continue to cause substantial damage because of their slow biodegradation and their accumulation in the biota, notwithstanding a substantial reduction in application through multi-national regulation). 

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