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The presence of the highly toxic antifouling agent tributyltin (TBT) and its degradation products was determined in four species of mussels collected from 34 locations in fresh water in Ontario and in sea water on Canada's west and east coasts. The purpose of the study was to establish baseline information in order to assess TBT trends in mussels after the 1989 Canadian regulation of antifouling uses of TBT. In fresh water, concentrations of TBT were much higher in zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) than in Elliptio complanata or Lampsilis radiata radiata. High concentrations of TBT were also found in Mytilus edulus in sea water. Residues of TBT in all species were similar to those that have been determined in other parts of the world before and after the regulation of antifouling uses of TBT in various countries. Analyses for degradation products indicated that zebra mussels metabolize TBT at about the same rate as L. radiata radiata and M. edulis, but more slowly than E. complanata. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A highly sensitive and specific method is described for the determination of methyl-cyclopentadienylmanganese tricarbonyl (MMT) in gasoline and environmental samples by gas chromatography-plasma atomic emission detection (GC-AED). The procedure is simple, rapid and free from interferences. The absolute limit of detection is 0.5 fg of MMT (0.5 x 10 -15 g) expressed as Mn. The precision for replicate injections (n=5) of an MMT solution (10 pg Mn) was 2.8% relative standard deviation (RSD). Applications of the method to analysis of gasoline (petrol), and preliminary results of the analyses of environmental samples such as air and roadside dirt, are given.