Multi-residue and multi-class method for the determination of antibiotics in bovine muscle by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

A multi-residue quantitative screening method covering 41 antibiotics from 7 different families, by ultra-highperformance-liquid-chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS), is described. Sulfonamides, trimethoprim, tetracyclines, macrolides, quinolones, penicillins and chloramphenicol are simultaneously detected after a simple sample preparation of bovine muscle optimized to achieve the best recovery for all compounds. A simple sample treatment was developed consisting in an extraction with a mixture of acetonitrile and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), followed by a defatting step with n-hexane. The methodology was validated, in accordance with Decision 2002/657/EC by evaluating the required parameters: derision limit (CC alpha), detection capability (CC beta), specificity, repeatability and reproducibility. Precision in terms of relative standard deviation was under 20% for all compounds and the recoveries between 91% and 119%. CC alpha and cc beta were determined according the maximum residue limit (MRL) or the minimum required performance limit (MRPL), when required. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.