The aim of this study is to understand the sorption of tributyltin (TBT) onto natural quartz sand by classical batch experiments and spectroscopic surface analyses. At pH < 6, the major species of TBT is the cation TBT+. Due to the presence of both the cationic part and the butyl chains, TBT should present amphiphilic properties. For concentrations lower than 40 muM, TBT sorption occurs as a homovalent 1: 1 cation exchange between either H+ or Na+ and TBT+. The increasing affinity of TBT with respect to the different materials follows the series kaolinite much less than natural sand < treated sand < pure quartz. From XPS analyses, where the chemical environment of Sn did not change, indicating possible complete reversibility of the TBT sorption, it seems that inner-sphere surface complexes could be formed due to the increase in the 3d-level binding energy. At TBT concentrations higher than 100 muM, we showed by flotation experiments and XPS analysis that the surface becomes hydrophobic. After one monolayer was formed, the TBT sorption could thus be due to hydrophobic interaction between the butyl chains of the sorbed TBT and those of the TBT still available from the bulk solution. This mechanism is consistent with surface condensation and the shape of the sorption isotherm. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.