Predicting the migration rate of dialkyl organotins from PVC pipe into water

Environ Sci Technol. 2011 Aug 15;45(16):6902-7. doi: 10.1021/es201552x. Epub 2011 Jul 27.

Abstract

Organotins (OTs) are additives widely used as thermal and light stabilizers in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics. OTs can leach into water flowing through PVC pipes. This work examines the leaching rates of two potentially neurotoxic OTs, dimethyl tin (DMT) and dibutyl tin (DBT), from PVC pipe. Water was circulated in a closed loop laboratory PVC pipe system. Using a gas chromatograph-pulsed flame photometric detector (GC-PFPD), the change in concentrations of DMT and DBT in the water in the system was monitored over time and allowed to reach equilibrium. OT concentration as a function of time was analyzed using a mechanistic leaching rate model. The diffusion coefficient for OT in the PVC pipe material, the only unknown model parameter, was found to be 9 × 10(-18) m(2)/s. This value falls within with the range of values estimated from the literature (2 × 10(-18) to 2 × 10(-17) m(2)/s) thus increasing confidence in the leaching rate model.

MeSH terms

  • Alkanes
  • Models, Chemical
  • Motion
  • Organotin Compounds / analysis
  • Organotin Compounds / chemistry*
  • Polyvinyl Chloride / chemistry*
  • Time Factors
  • Water / chemistry*
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical
  • Water Supply / analysis*

Substances

  • Alkanes
  • Organotin Compounds
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical
  • Water
  • di-n-butyltin
  • dimethyltin
  • Polyvinyl Chloride