The present work aimed at studying the geochronology of contamination in Guanabara Bay as related to organotin compounds and a number of metals of environmental relevance. For this, sediment cores were taken from five different stations in the bay selected as to represent average conditions not immediately affected by known sources. The cores were sliced in thin segments up to 30 cm below the top layer. For two stations where sedimentation rates were not known cores were collected and sliced in 3 cm segments and thereafter dated by using Pb-210. Metal concentrations were determined by ICP-MS after digestion of freeze dried sediments in HNO3 and H2O2 under heat. Organotin speciation was carried out in a GC-PFPD instrument after solvent extraction, derivatization, sulfur elimination and clean-up. The higher organotin concentrations (ng g-1 as tin) found were: TBT (82), DBT (28) and MBT (126). Space-time distribution of organotin species in the sediments were very irregular and there is little evidence that extensive degradation occurs after sedimentation. Attempts are presented to derive an estimate for TBT degradation constant. Fluxes were calculated using the sedimentation rates and concentrations. Organotin concentrations are low in comparison to those reported for Marina da Glória by Fernandez (2001), and they confirm the tendency of organotins to settle down rapidly in the vicinities of the sources. The concentrations (ug g-1) of the investigated metals (As (1.31-11.5), Ca (2.08x103-8.72x103), Cd (