Fragmentation studies on the antibiotic avilamycin A using ion trap mass spectrometry

Determination of total avilamycin residues as dichloroisoeverninic acid in porcine muscle, fat, and liver by LC-MS/MS

A sensitive and reliable method for determining the total avilamycin residues was developed using LC-MS/MS. Avilamycin (consisting of avilamycin A and 15 other minor factors) and its metabolites in porcine muscle, fat, and liver were analysed as the marker residue dichloroisoeverninic acid (DIA), in accordance with the maximum residue limit (MRL) established by international organisations such as Codex Alimentarius Commission and other regulatory bodies. The analytes were extracted from samples with acetone, hydrolysed to DIA, partitioned into ethyl acetate, and cleaned up prior to the LC-MS/MS analysis. The method was validated at Codex MRL and 0.01 mg/kg. The results show excellent recoveries ranging from 100 to 108%, with the relative standard deviations <6%. Matrix effects were negligible for all types of samples, indicating effective sample clean-up. The absence of interfering peaks close to the retention time in blank samples demonstrates high selectivity. Overall, this method is reliable and suitable for regulatory-purpose analysis.