Molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction for determination of enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin in chicken muscle

Abstract

A simple and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic method was developed for the simultaneous identification of enrofloxacin and its active metabolite ciprofloxacin in chicken muscle. Norflorxacin imprinted polymers synthesized in water-containing systems show high selectivity to enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin in an aqueous environment. Using these water-compatible imprinted polymers as selective adsorbents in the solid-phase extraction of enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin from chicken samples, the remaining biological matrix could be quickly washed out from the imprinted column while enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin were selectively retained and enriched. Analytical separation was performed on a C18 column using acetonitrile-water as a mobile phase and fluorescence detection. Good linearity was obtained from 0.8 to 500 ng/g (r > 0.998) with relative standard deviation of less than 3.9%. The mean recoveries of enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin from chicken muscle were 80.6-94.5% and 77.8-91.8% at three different concentrations. The limits of determinations based on S/N=3 were 0.07 ng/g and 0.09 ng/g, which are below the maximum residue limits established in many countries.