Studies on the degradation of bis(tributyltin) oxide in soil

Abstract The degradation of bis(tri[1‐14C]butyltin) oxide in two soils (1 mg tin kg−1) has been studied under laboratory conditions. Half of the applied compound disappeared from unsterilised silt loam and sandy loam in approximately 15 and 20 weeks, respectively; it disappeared also from the sterilised soils but to a lesser extent. The formation of small amounts of dibutyltin derivatives was established by thin‐layer chromatography both in the unsterilised and sterile soils. The amount of unextractable radioactivity increased with time in the unsterilised and sterile soils. In the unsterilised soils 14C was released as [14C]carbon dioxide in amounts equivalent to 20% of the applied radioactivity for silt loam and 10.7% for sandy loam over a period of 42 weeks. Almost no [14C]carbon dioxide was released from the sterile soils, confirming microbial participation in the degradation of the compound in the unsterilised soils.