Development and validation of rapid analysis method for multi-class veterinary drugs in livestock products by LC-MS/MS

Abstract

A method for rapid analysis of multi-class residual veterinary drugs in livestock products was developed and validated in accordance with the Japanese guideline for pesticides. Using LC-MS/MS, 43 multi-class veterinary drugs, including sulfonamides, quinolones, coccidiostats and antiparasites, could be analyzed simultaneously in only 18 minutes. The extraction process was developed by modifying the QuEChERS approach to provide faster and less expensive extraction. The samples were extracted by using two kinds of solvent, acetonitrile and acetonitrile including 1 vol% formic acid, and salted out with magnesium sulfate, trisodium citrate and sodium chloride. Using these two extractants, 40 out of 43 drugs satisfied the guideline criteria in bovine muscle and swine muscle, 39 drugs were found in chicken muscle, and 37 drugs were found in eggs. The limit of quantification was less than the MRL for all analytes.