Rapid determination of butyltin species in water samples by multicapillary gas chromatography with atomic emission detection following headspace solid-phase microextraction

A procedure for the rapid determination of mono-, di- and tributyltin in water samples is described. The analytes are simultaneously ethylated and concentrated on a solid-phase microextraction fibre placed in the headspace over the sample for 2 min. The ethylated species are then separated and selectively quantified in only 90 s using a multicapillary gas chromatography column combined with atomic emission detection. The influence of blank signals and sampling conditions on the sensitivity of the method is described. Detection limits of 1–5 ng/l and relative standard deviations of 6–10% at concentrations of 20 ng/l were obtained.