Premium
Transmethylation of metals in aquatic systems
Author(s) -
Chau Y K,
Wong P T S,
Mojesky C A,
Carty Arthur J
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
applied organometallic chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.53
H-Index - 71
eISSN - 1099-0739
pISSN - 0268-2605
DOI - 10.1002/aoc.590010304
Subject(s) - transmethylation , chemistry , tin , abiotic component , alkyl , aqueous solution , metal ions in aqueous solution , environmental chemistry , metal , organic chemistry , amino acid , ecology , biochemistry , methionine , biology
Transmethylation reactions between organometals and metal ions in aqueous solutions in biotic and abiotic systems, with and without the presence of sediment, were investigated. It was found that alkyllead compounds can transfer their alkyl groups to Sn(II) and Sn(IV) ions to form various methyltin compounds in biotic and abiotic systems. The presence of sediment enhanced the transmethylation reactions. Methyltin compounds do not transfer their methyl groups of Pb(II). Methylarsenic acids transfer their methyl groups to Sn(II) and Sn(IV) in an abiotic system, but not in a biotic system containing sediment. The strong adsorption of tin onto sediment was the reason for the non‐availability of tin ions for methylation. Methylarsenic acids do not transmethylate Pb(II). Other alkyllead compounds, such as ethyllead and butyllead species were also able to transfer their alkyl groups to tin. When both trimethyllead and triethyllead species are present in the same system, only the individual monoalkyl tin species were formed in both the Sn(II) and Sn(IV) solutions. No mixed alkyltin was produced. The findings of this study suggest that alkyllead compounds, if present in the environment, could be potential methylating agents for the formation of other methylmetals, such as methyltins. Methyltin compounds have already been documented to methylate mercuric ions in aqueous solution. Thus the study of transmethylation reactions opens up a new area of research that is essential in predicting the fate of organometals in the environment.