US EPA

2299997 

Technical Report 

Organotins: Biological Activity, Uses 

Zedler, RJ; Beiter, CB 

1962 

NIOSH/00133709 

38 

3 

75-78 

The biological activity, and household and industrial uses of organotins are reviewed. Compounds examined are: tetraethyltin (597648), triethyltin-chloride (994310), diethyltin-dichloride (866557), ethyltin-trichloride (1066575), trimethyltin-chloride (1066451), tri-n-propyltin-chloride (2279767), tri-n-butyltin-chloride (1461229), tripentyltin-acetate (2587759), trioctenyltin-chloride, and triphenyltin-chloride (639587). The applications of organotin compounds in water treatment wood preservation, antifouling and mildew control in paint, purification and rot proofing of textiles, home and institutional germicides, and agriculture (seed treatment, bulb fungicide, and rodent repellents) are considered. The toxicity of trialkyltins is also discussed. The authors conclude that organotins such as tri-n-butyl, tri-n-propyl, and triphenyl derivatives are unique and exhibit the most promise as industrial biochemicals.