Dye residues in aquaculture products: Targeted and metabolomics mass spectrometric approaches to track their abuse.

The aim of the study was to initiate an exhaustive strategy of control by implementing both targeted and non-targeted metabolomics approaches. A LC-MS/MS method including an oxidative step for most of dyes was developed and validated to target the analysis of 14 residues belonging to different families of dyes. The method was suitable for the quantitative confirmation of 13 dyes at low ppb levels. The metabolomics approach objective was to compare fingerprints between farmed fish treated with malachite green and farmed fish treated with victoria pure blue bo. Analytical information on modifications in the metabolome of muscle, liver and plasma was exploited by HRMS following by multivariate statistics and revealed some direct or endogenous metabolites among relevant mass features contributing to the constructed models. These two approaches, either appropriate biomarkers either enlarged targeted dyes are explored concomitantly to help improving the strategy for tracking new illegal practices in aquaculture.

Determination of four nitroimidazole residues in poultry meat by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

A multi-residue liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) assay method is described for the determination of four nitroimidazoles in poultry muscle. The extraction procedure is based on liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl acetate followed by an evaporation step. A deuterated internal standard is used. The LC separation was made on a C18 bonded silica column with an aqueous formic acid (0.2%) solution-methanol-acetonitrile (81:13:6) mobile phase. Following electrospray ionization, the protonated molecular ion [M+H]+ is obtained for each compound. Monitoring several ions for each nitroimidazole provides the specificity required for confirmatory assay. Validation of the method was performed to estimate linearity, intra-day and inter-day repeatability, accuracy and detection limit. The present method is capable of identifying nitroimidazole residues in muscle at levels below 5 microg/kg.

Stability of penicillin antibiotic residues in meat during storage. Ampicillin.

Incurred samples from a pig treated with ampicillin, one of the most important penicillin antibiotic drugs used in food-producing animal treatments, were analyzed at the residue level of the drug in muscle tissue (approximately 100 microg kg(-1)) during their freezing storage and using three different techniques: quantitative microbiological assay, HPLC-UV and LC-MS. Two parameters have been specifically monitored: storage temperature (-20 and -75 degrees C) and storage packaging (ground meat or bulk meat). No significant decrease was observed during the first 3 months of storage monitoring at -20 and -75 degrees C. On the contrary, the sample preparation significantly affected the drug concentration in muscle from the very beginning of the storage. Grinding the meat before storage allowed to keep the drug near the higher level of concentration (approximately 100 microg kg(-1)) when bulk meat stored frozen systematically led to a decreased value (approximately 75 microg kg(-1)). After 8 months of storage at -20 degrees C, a significant decrease arose and was never observed at -75 degrees C. All the results were similarly obtained with the three different techniques used simultaneously, which allows to indicate a good correlation between the techniques.

Multiresidue method for confirmation of macrolide antibiotics in bovine muscle by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry.

A particle beam/liquid chromatographic/mass spectrometric (PB/LC/MS) method capable of determining 5 macrolides in bovine muscle is described. Spiramycin, tylosin, tilmicosin, erythromycin, and josamycin residues in bovine muscle are confirmed by reversed-phase LC/MS incorporating gradient elution. Macrolides are extracted from tissue with chloroform, and the extract is purified with a diol solid-phase extraction cleanup. The 5 macrolides are identified by negative and positive chemical ionization with selective ion monitoring of 2 ions in each mode. The procedure confirms the presence of each macrolide at 50 micrograms/kg in spiked samples.

Development of a new screening method for the detection of antibiotic residues in muscle tissues using liquid chromatography and high resolution mass spectrometry with a LC-LTQ-Orbitrap instrument.

A liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) method was developed for screening meat for a wide range of antibiotics used in veterinary medicine. Full-scan mode under high resolution mass spectral conditions using an LTQ-Orbitrap mass spectrometer with resolving power 60,000 full width at half maximum (FWHM) was applied for analysis of the samples. Samples were prepared using two extraction protocols prior to LC-HRMS analysis. The scope of the method focuses on screening the following main families of antibacterial veterinary drugs: penicillins, cephalosporins, sulfonamides, macrolides, tetracyclines, aminoglucosides and quinolones. Compounds were successfully identified in spiked samples from their accurate mass and LC retention times from the acquired full-scan chromatogram. Automated data processing using ToxId software allowed rapid treatment of the data. Analyses of muscle tissues from real samples collected from antibiotic-treated animals was carried out using the above methodology and antibiotic residues were identified unambiguously. Further analysis of the data for real samples allowed the identification of the targeted antibiotic residues but also non-targeted compounds, such as some of their metabolites.

Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for the determination of dye residues in aquaculture products: development and validation.

A method is described for the identification and the quantitative determination of the triphenylmethane dyes, malachite green (MG), crystal violet (CV), brilliant green (BG) and leuco malachite green (LMG) and leuco crystal violet (LCV). The analytes were isolated from the matrix by liquid-liquid extraction with acetonitrile. Determination was performed using LC-MS/MS with positive electrospray ionisation. 4 different deuterated internal standards were introduced to improve the quantitative performance of the method. The method has been validated in line with the EU criteria of Commission Decision 2002/657/EC in accordance with the minimum required performance limit (MRPL) set at 2 µgkg(-1) for the sum of MG and LMG. For all the monitored compounds, accuracy, intra-day and inter-day precision were determined at each level of fortification (0.5, 0.75, 1.0 and 2.0 µgkg(-1)). Decision limits CCα and detection capabilities CCß were calculated according to the standard ISO 11843-2. A study on the applicability of the method was conducted on various aquacultured species with the aim to assess the matrix effects. The presence of residues of leuco brilliant green in fish has also been confirmed from experimental study performed on trout treated with brilliant green, using LTQ-Orbitrap mass spectrometer.

Validation of a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry screening method to monitor 58 antibiotics in milk: a qualitative approach.

A multi-residue method was developed for monitoring antibiotic residues in milk using liquid chromatography coupled to a tandem quadrupole mass spectrometer (LC/MS-MS). Two very short extractions followed by two LC/MS-MS acquisitions allowed the screening of 58 antibiotics belonging to eight different families (penicillins, cephalosporins, sulfonamides, macrolides, lincosamides, aminoglycosides, tetracyclines, and quinolones). This method is currently implemented in the laboratory in a qualitative way, i.e. monitoring the presence or absence of residue in a sample and identification of the analyte before the confirmation step. In order to assess the performance of this method, a validation strategy described in an internal guideline for the validation of screening methods was applied. The aim of the validation was to prove sufficient sensitivity of the method to detect all the targeted antibiotics at the level of interest (maximum residue limit, MRL) at least. According to European Commission Decision 2002/657/EC, the suitable sensitivity of a screening method can be demonstrated when the CCbeta is below or equal to the MRL and so the false-compliant rate below or equal to 5% at the MRL level. The validation scheme was established in order to take into account various variability factors: the apparatus response, the interday repeatability, the matrix effect, etc. The results of the validation clearly demonstrate the suitability of this method for the detection and identification of more than 50 antibiotics and they are in agreement with the results obtained in routine analysis.

Proficiency study for the determination of nitrofuran metabolites in shrimps.

A proficiency test for the determination of nitrofuran metabolites in shrimp tissue was organized in the first half of 2003. This test was intended to allow the participants to use their routine method and to assess their competence on this specific analysis. The participation in this proficiency test was offered to all the National Reference Laboratories (NRLs) of the European Union (EU) in charge of the analysis of nitrofurans, to Official Laboratories of the then 10 Candidate Countries for entry in EU and to some countries exporting food to the EU. The participants (20) analysed nitrofuran metabolites in eight randomly coded frozen samples including three blank samples. All participants performed a confirmatory method using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry to detect total nitrofuran metabolite residues. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses of the results were investigated. Qualitatively, 16 laboratories out of 20 gave the correct interpretation of the results in term of compliant/non-compliant sample. Quantitatively, laboratory performance was evaluated by calculating the z-scores.

Simultaneous determination of six quinolones in pig muscle by liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation mass spectrometry.

An LC-MS method is described for the confirmation of six quinolones (enrofloxacine, ciprofloxacine, marbofloxacine, danofloxacine, sarafloxacine and difloxacine) in pig muscle. The quinolones were extracted from muscle (2 g) with phosphate buffer (pH 7.4). After centrifugation, the extract was purified on a C18 solid-phase extraction cartridge. Samples were analysed by LC with gradient elution on a C18 column and detected by MS via an atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation interface. For each compound, an intense pseudo-molecular ion [M+H]+ is obtained. The assay is specific and reproducible and allows the confirmation of the six quinolones at the 7.5 micrograms kg-1 level in pig muscle.