Abstract
Triphenyltin (TPT), an endocrine disruptor, was successfully quantified by gas chromatography using a newly developed method consisting of propylation of TPT after conversion to a tropolone complex. Increased volatility by propylation as well as high efficiency of extraction into an organic solvent phase by tropolone allowed for measuring degradation by-products of TPT with grater sensitivity and accuracy. Screening of microbial strains capable of degrading TPT resulted in isolation of a promising strain from soil. This strain, identified as a Pseudomonas sp., was tolerant to TPT at 50 mg/l and grew well in the presence of 0.16% ethanol as a carbon source. In a synthetic medium containing 1 mg/l TPT and 0.16% ethanol, the strain degraded TPT at a maximum of 50% over 5 days, and the by-products were 48.5% tri-phenyl, 38% di-phenyl, 12% mono-phenyl and 1.5% inorganic tin. Degradation of TPT did not occur in nutrient medium, thus suggesting that TPT might be co-metabolized with ethanol.
