Confirmation of diminazene diaceturate in bovine plasma using electrospray liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Diminazene diaceturate is used as a trypanocide for cattle in tropical regions. This paper describes a LC-MS(n) method to confirm the presence of diminazene in bovine plasma. Bound diminazene in plasma samples was freed with dilute phosphoric acid, then concentrated on a bonded C(18) SPE cartridge. The LC-MS(n) method utilized electrospray ionization coupled with an ion trap mass spectrometer. Ions observed in MS(2) and MS(3) product ion spectra, as well as those from the MS(1) spectrum, were monitored. The method was validated with plasma samples fortified with diminazene diaceturate (4-100ng/mL). Diminazene was confirmed in samples fortified with diminazene diaceturate at levels of 6.4ng/mL or higher.

Liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry analysis of chloramphenicol in cooked crab meat.

A liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method is described for the extraction, cleanup, determination, and confirmation of chloramphenicol (CAP) in cooked crab meat. The method involves pulverization of cooked crab meat with dry ice; extraction of the CAP into ethyl acetate (EtOAc); evaporation (by N2) of the EtOAc; addition of methanol, aqueous NaCl, and heptane; extraction of the lipids into the heptane, followed by extraction of the aqueous phase with EtOAc; evaporation (by N2) of the EtOAc; dissolution into methanol-water; filtration; and separation/detection/confirmation using LC/MS/MS. Crab meat was fortified at 0.25, 0.50, and 1.0 ng/g (ppb) chloramphenicol. Average absolute recoveries were 67, 84, and 86%, respectively, with relative standard deviation values all less than 1%. Four daughter ions (m/z 152, 176, 194, and 257) were monitored off the m/z 321 precursor ion. Determination was based on a standard curve using the peak areas of the m/z 152 daughter ion (the base peak) for standard solutions equivalent to 0.10, 0.20, 0.50, and 1.0 ppb in tissue (made with control crab extract). A set of 6 matrix controls (unfortified crab meat) was also analyzed, in which no chloramphenicol was detected. For identification purposes, the ion ratios (of each daughter ion versus the base daughter ion) of the fortified crab versus those of the chloramphenicol standards agreed within 10% (relative) at fortified chloramphenicol concentrations of 0.25-1.0 ppb.

Confirmation of sulfamethazine, sulfathiazole, and sulfadimethoxine residues in condensed milk and soft-cheese products by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry.

A liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry method (LC/MS/MS) is described for the simultaneous detection of 3 sulfonamide drug residues at 1.25 ppb in condensed milk and soft-cheese products. The 3 sulfonamide drugs of interest are sulfathiazole (STZ), sulfamethazine (SMZ), and sulfadimethoxine (SDM). The method includes extraction of the product with phosphate buffer, centrifugation of the diluted product, and application of a portion of the extract onto a polymeric solid-phase extraction cartridge. The cartridge is washed with water, and the sulfonamides are eluted with methanol. After evaporation, the residue is dissolved in 0.1% formic acid solution, and the solution is filtered before analysis by LC/MS/MS. The LC/MS/MS program involved a series of time-scheduled selected-reaction monitoring transitions. The transitions of MH+ to the common product ions at m/z 156, 108, and 92 were monitored for each residue. In addition, SMZ and SDM had a fourth significant and unique product ion transition that could be measured. Validation was performed with control and fortified-control condensed bovine milk with 2.5, 5, and 10 ppb sulfonamides. This method was applied to imported flavored and unflavored condensed milk and cream cheese bars. The presence of STZ and SMZ residues was confirmed in 3 out of 6 products.

A multiresidue pesticide monitoring procedure using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and selected ion monitoring for the determination of pesticides containing nitrogen, sulfur, and/or oxygen in fruits and vegetables.

A procedure for the analysis of over 100 pesticides that only contain combinations of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulfur, and oxygen (i.e., no phosphorous or halogen atoms) has been developed. The procedure employs gas chromatography with a mass selective detector (GC/MSD), electron impact ionization, and selected ion monitoring. This GC/MSD procedure provided lower limits of quantitation and increased confirmational data compared to the traditional element-selective GC procedures that are commonly used for the detection of this "class" of pesticides. These analytical improvements were demonstrated by 26 pesticides that were detected at ng/g levels in a variety of fruit and vegetable matrixes using this procedure; these pesticides were missed by the traditional element-selective GC procedures. Validation of the procedure was performed using acetone extraction with solid-phase extraction cleanup. Twenty representative target pesticides were used to demonstrate repeatability and linearity of the chromatographic response and recovery from fruit and vegetable matrixes.

Multilaboratory validation of a method to confirm chloramphenicol in shrimp and crabmeat by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

An existing method for chloramphenicol (CAP) determination in shrimp using a gas chromatograph with electron capture detector was adapted for confirmation of CAP with a liquid chromatograph interfaced to a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. CAP residues are extracted from tissue with ethyl acetate, isolated via liquid-liquid extraction, and concentrated by evaporation. Extracts are chromatographed by using a reversed-phased column and analyzed by electrospray negative mode tandem mass spectrometry. Four product ions (m/z 152, 176, 194, and 257) of precursor m/z 321 were monitored. Moving from gas chromatography to liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry improved the sensitivity of the method greatly, enabling reliable confirmation of CAP residues at 0.3 microg/kg (ppb). The method meets confirmation criteria recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and 4-point identification criteria established by the European Union. With slight modifications to accommodate different equipment, the method was validated in 3 laboratories.

Interlaboratory comparison of methods for the determination of incurred tilmicosin residues in bovine liver.

The objective of this study was to compare 2 methods for the determination of tilmicosin residues in bovine liver samples. Three laboratories participated in the comparison of the 2 methods. The first method was described in a New Animal Drug Application (NADA 140-929), and the second was a modification of that method in which hexane was substituted for carbon tetrachloride in one cleanup step. Each of the 3 laboratories analyzed subsamples of 10 bovine livers containing incurred tilmicosin. Residues ranged from 2.3 to 81 ppm tilmicosin in the 10 liver samples with an 11.8% relative standard deviation obtained by using both methods. In addition, fortified-control liver tissue samples were analyzed concurrently with tissues containing incurred residues by using the modified method in one of the laboratories. The fortification levels ranged from 0.3 to 112 ppm, with recoveries ranging from 76 to 92%. The results from the 3 laboratories were comparable, indicating that the modified method was not only as effective as the original NADA method, but also more desirable because of the change to a less hazardous solvent.

Concurrent determination of four fluoroquinolones in catfish, shrimp, and salmon by liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection.

A liquid chromatographic (LC) method with fluorescence detection was developed for concurrent determination of 4 fluoroquinolones: ciprofloxacin (CIPRO), enrofloxacin (ENRO), sarafloxacin (SARA), and difloxacin (DIFLX) in catfish, shrimp, and salmon. The procedure consists of extraction from fish tissue with acidified ethanol, isolation and retention on a cation exchange solid-phase extraction column, elution with basic methanol, and LC analysis with fluorescence detection. LC is performed by isocratic elution with acetonitrile-2% acetic acid (16 + 84) mobile phase, and a PLRP-S polymer column with fluorescence detection, excitation 278 nm and emission 450 nm. A target level of 20 ppb for each of the 4 fluoroquinolones has been established for this method. Fortified and incurred fish sample results are based on a 5-point standard curve calculation (10-160 ppb). Overall percent recoveries (% relative standard deviation) from fortified catfish were 78 (10), 80 (11), 70 (9.4), and 78 (10); from fortified shrimp, 69 (5.9), 85 (4.9), 79 (5.9), and 90 (4.5); and from fortified salmon, 56 (15), 93 (5.6), 61 (11), and 87 (5.0) for CIPRO, ENRO, SARA, and DIFLX, respectively. Data from the analysis of fluoroquinolone-incurred catfish, shrimp, and salmon are presented.

Confirmation of phenylbutazone residues in bovine kidney by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry.

A confirmatory method is described for phenylbutazone (PB) residues in bovine kidney tissue. Ground kidney tissue is diluted with water, and the mixture is made basic with 25% ammonium hydroxide in water; the lipids are extracted with ethyl and petroleum ethers. The ether layer is discarded, and the tissue is acidified with 6N HCl. PB residues are extracted with tetrahydrofuranhexane (1 + 4). The extract is passed through a silica solid-phase extraction column, and the eluate is evaporated to dryness. The residue is dissolved in acidified acetonitrile-water-acetic acid (50 + 49.4 + 0.6). A single quadrupole mass spectrometer coupled to a liquid chromatograph with an electrospray interface is used to confirm the identity of the PB residues in the kidney extract. Negative-ion detection with selected-ion monitoring of 4 ions is used. Sets of control and fortified-control kidney tissues (at 50, 100, and 200 ppb PB) and several kidney tissue field samples were analyzed for method validation. The method was tested further during the course of a survey to determine the incidence of PB residues in bovine kidney samples obtained from slaughterhouses across the country. In addition, the method was tested for use with an ion-trap mass spectrometer coupled to a liquid chromatograph, which allowed confirmation of PB at lower levels (5-10 ppb) in kidney tissue.