Analysis of chloramphenicol in drinking water using an evaporation preparative step and isotope dilution liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

Abstract

A reliable isotope dilution method for the determination of chloramphenicol (CAP) in drinking water was developed by using an evaporation preparative step. Each sample was monitored by ultrahigh-pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC) coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) using an electrospray ionization interface (ESI) in negative ion modes. Recoveries of spiked samples were in the range from 93.2% to 95.7% with intra-day relative standard deviation lower than 6.7% and inter-day relative standard deviation lower than 8.2%. Limit of quantification (LOD) was 0.002 ng/mL. The developed method was successfully applied to the analysis of CAP in drinking water of Shannan region of Tibet.