Samples of dust were collected from Parliament buildings in a total of 8 countries (Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden and UK) during the year 2000. In the case of the Netherlands, 3 samples were also collected from the offices of the popular computer/internet provider XS4all. Sub-samples were sent to the laboratories of the Netherlands Institute for Fisheries Research (RIVO) for analysis of the finely sieved fraction for brominated flame retardants and to GALAB (Geestacht, Germany) for analysis of organotins.
Substantial levels of organotins were found in all of the samples, including those from Austria, Germany and UK for which brominated flame retardant data are not yet available. Total organotin concentrations (butyl and octyltins combined) varied from 0.49 ppm (one sample from Italian Senato) to 3.48 ppm (one of two samples from the German Reichstag). High levels GRL-TN-03-2001 2 were also found in dusts from Parliament buildings in Austria (3.34 ppm) and the Netherlands (2.99 ppm), as well as in two of the three samples from internet provider XS4all (2.88-3.17 ppm). In all but two cases (the two least contaminated samples), total organotins were predominated by monobutyltin (MBT), with lower levels of DBT and even lower levels of TBT. Monooctyltin (MOT) was in all cases more abundant that DOT, though levels (0.015- 0.83 ppm) were generally lower than for the MBT. Triphenyltin, as expected, was not found in any of the dust samples at levels above detection limits.