Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2010DC116B

Speciation of Some Triorganotin Compounds in Anacostia and Potomac River Sediments using NMR Spectroscopy (Phase II)

Institute: District of Columbia
Year Established: 2010 Start Date: 2010-03-01 End Date: 2011-02-28
Total Federal Funds: $9,590 Total Non-Federal Funds: $30,061

Principal Investigators: Xueqing Song

Project Summary: The overall objective of this research project was to investigate the environmental speciation of triorganotin compounds that are leached from antifouling paints into DC waterways, such as the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers, as a function of pH and to determine the transformation through interaction with the river sediments. Speciation of triorganotins is of major concern due to their species-specific toxicity. Tributyltins and triphenyltins were used in antifouling paints on ship hulls because of its strong biocidal effect, and triphenyltins can also be used as fungicides on a variety of crops. These applications are inevitably associated with triorganotin releases into the surrounding water, where it accumulates in suspended matter and in sediments. These compounds have been found to be toxic to other non-targeted marine organism, such as oysters and fish. The species that were produced as a result of these interactions were determined using NMR spectroscopy. Compared with other analytical methods, such as derivatization, pressurized liquid extraction, liquid chromatography inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy, and Mossbauer spectroscopy, NMR spectroscopy offers an advantage in that it permits direct observation of the interaction between the triorganotins and the sediments.