Tributyltin chloride biotransformation in the perfused rat liver

Organotin compounds (OTC) are excellent antioxidants, which the plastic industry uses in making food containers. Over time, OTCs migrate to the surfaces where they may come into contact with the food product thus exposing the general population to the toxin. Liver tissue may recognize OTCs as foreign and subject them to its cytochrome P-450 enzymatic detoxification mechanism. This research is aimed at an attempt to determine if alkyl OTCs (specifically, tributyltin chloride) are biotransformed to more toxic shorter chained compounds by rat liver tissue. Rat liver was perfused in vitro with a known organotin compound (OTC) solution. Following an organic extraction with pentane, a gas chromatograph analysis (GC) was performed. The results suggest that OTCs are metabolized differently than initially thought. Gas chromatography revealed no evidence of an OTC Grignard derivative peak, which was present on the control plot