Supercritical fluid extraction of priority organotin contaminants from biological matrices

Abstract The effect of different supercritical fluid extraction variables such as pressure (20–34 MPa), temperature (50–100°C), modifier type (methanol, acetic acid, and toluene) with co-modifiers (e.g. tropolone) and static extraction time (10–30 min) was evaluated for the recovery of incurred butyltin compounds from a clam homogenate. The best extraction conditions, obtained by a factorial fractional experimental design, were at low temperatures (50°C) and high pressures (34 MPa) in presence of acetic acid as static carbon dioxide modifier containing 0.2% of tropolone. Optimum extraction conditions were applied to the determination of incurred DBT, TBT and TPhT from a freeze-dried fish tissue and a mussel homogenate yielding comparable results to those obtained by conventional solvent extraction techniques following a tissue solubilization but analysis time is reduced by factor of four.