Comparison of the determination of four sulphonamides and their N4-acetyl metabolites in swine muscle tissue using liquid chromatography with ultraviolet and mass spectral detection

Application of capillary zone electrophoresis with large-volume sample stacking to the sensitive determination of sulfonamides in meat and ground water

A CZE method with UV-Vis detection has been established and validated for the determination of nine sulfonamides: sulfapyridine, sulfamethazine, sulfamerazine, sulfamether, sulfadiazine, sulfadimethoxine, sulfamethoxazole, sulfachlorpyridazine, and sulfamethizole. Optimum separation was obtained on a 64.5 cm x 75 microm bubble cell capillary using a buffer containing 45 mM sodium phosphate and 10% methanol at pH 7.3, with temperature and voltage of 27 degrees C and 25 kV, respectively. p-Aminobenzoic acid was used as an internal standard . Taking into account the lack of sensitivity of the UV-Vis detection, the application of an on-line preconcentration methodology, such as large-volume sample stacking with polarity switching has been proposed. This procedure combined with a solvent extraction/SPE method applied for off-line preconcentration and cleanup provides a significant improvement in the LODs, ranging from 2.59 to 22.95 mug/L for the studied compounds; the quantification of these residues being possible below the levels established by EU legislation in animal food products, such as meat. Satisfactory recoveries were also obtained in the analysis of these compounds in ground water.

Determining sulfamonomethoxine and its acetyl/hydroxyl metabolites in chicken plasma under organic solvent-free conditions

A quantitative technique is described for a sample preparation followed by high performance liquid chromatography method for the simultaneous determination of sulfamonomethoxine and its metabolites, N4-acetyl SMM and 2,6-dihydroxy SMM, in chicken plasma. The average recoveries, analytical total time, and limits of quantitation were >/=80% (relative standard deviations (SD) </=6%), <30 min sample-1 (12 samples in 2 h), and </=0.09 microg ml(-1), respectively. The procedure, performed under 100% aqueous conditions, uses no organic solvents and toxic reagents at all and is, therefore, harmless to the environment and humans.

Micellar electrokinetic chromatography method for the determination of sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim and their main metabolites in human serum

A complete analytical procedure, including sample clean-up and a micellar electrokinetic chromatographic method, is presented for the determination of sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, and their main metabolites by using 20 mmol L(-1) borate buffer (pH 9.3), 25 mmol L(-1) sodium dodecylsulfate, and 5% v/v acetonitrile as electrolyte. The separation was carried out at 30 kV and 20 degrees C in a fused silica capillary (60.2 cm x 75 microm inner diameter) fitted with a window in the capillary cartridge of 100 x 800 microm. The detector response was linear from the limit of quantification to 3 mg L(-1) for the individual components. The limits of quantification ranged from 0.13 up to 0.24 mg L(-1). The method was applied to human serum, previously spiked at different concentrations of all the analytes, and recoveries between 95% and 108% were obtained.

The determination of sulfonamides in honey by high performance liquid chromatography - mass spectrometry method (LC/MS)

The sulfonamides (SAs) are stable chemotherapeutics used against the bacterial disease affecting bees, known as American foulbrood (Bacillus larvae), so their residues could appear in the honey of treated bees. Their presence at a concentration above the limit value could be a potential danger to human health. Therefore, a simple, rapid, and reliable method for determination of 11 available SAs in honey was optimized. The samples were homogenized and cleaned with extraction on solid phase by means of Chromabond C18 end-capped cartridge followed by LC/MS analyses. A detection limit of 25 microg/kg was achieved for all analytes. The repeatability of the method was proven and the optimal parameters for temperature and pH of the mobile phase and acetic buffer, respectively, were determined. In this study, 20 samples of domestic honey were included. Six of the analyzed samples were positive, but all results were below the Croatian permissible limit value (100 microg/kg).

Screening and analytical confirmation of sulfonamide residues in milk by capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry

A new methodology is proposed to automate the monitoring of sulfonamide residues in milk samples. It combines a screening unit for the total amount of sulfonamide with capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry (CE-MS) equipment for processing the samples containing a detectable level of sulfonamide. The screening unit consists of continuous-flow system (CFS) to precipitate the proteins connected on-line to the CE-MS equipment, in which a common characteristic ion of all sulfonamides was monitored with the MS detector by flushing the sample through the capillary. The confirmatory method is based on the purification and preconcentration of sulfonamides in a CFS unit and posterior analysis by CE-MS. The sample treatment unit was also on-line connected to the CE-MS equipment. In order to increase sensitivity, the flow rate of the sheath liquid was diminished from 0.5 to 0.2 microL.min(-1) by increasing the content in water from 0 to 50% and the formic acid from 0.5 to 1.5% in this liquid and by applying an overimposed pressure of 5 mbar during the electrophoretic separation. The method allowed the analysis of 30 samples per hour.

Sulfamethoxazole-imprinted polymer for selective determination of sulfamethoxazole in tablets

A sulfamethoxazole (SMO)-imprinted polymer (MIP) was prepared in acetonitrile using the mixture of acrylamide and 4-vinylpyridine as functional monomers. The molecular recognition properties of the polymer was evaluated in both acetonitrile and aqueous acetonitrile mobile phases. SMO contents in two kinds of tablets were determined satisfactorily using the MIP packed HPLC column with aqueous mobile phase.

Comparison of separation conditions and ionization methods for the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometric determination of sulfonamides

The effects of the type and concentration of buffer, composition of the mobile phase and the ionization mode, used for the separation and detection of sulfonamides with LC-MS, were studied. Five typical sulfonamides were selected as target compounds and beef meat was selected as a matrix sample. For the separation of sulfonamides, 0.05 M NH4Ac in 13-15% aqueous acetonitrile, APCl ionization was more effective than ESI with regard to separation efficiency and the detection sensitivity.

Determination of selected sulfonamide antibiotics and trimethoprim in manure by electrospray and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization tandem mass spectrometry

A method for the determination of sulfonamides and trimethoprim in the complex matrix liquid manure has been developed using reversed-phase liquid chromatography and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) tandem mass spectrometry. A comparison was made between electrospray and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization. APCI proved to be more robust and less sensitive to matrix effects. High-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) separation of the analytes was achieved in less than 7 min. The compounds were extracted with ethyl acetate and the extracts were cleaned up by solid-phase extraction on an aminopropyl column. Recoveries were not dependent on the concentration level. The mean recoveries were as follows: trimethoprim 79.0%, sulfadiazine 80.5%, N(4)-acetylsulfadiazine 91.0%, sulfamerazine 78.6%, sulfadimidine 77.2% and sulfamethoxazole 82.8%. Linearity was established over a concentration range of 5 to 5000 microg/kg with correlation coefficients greater than 0.99. The method had a limit of quantitation (LOQ) of 5 microg/kg manure.

Confirmation of multiple sulfonamide residues in bovine milk by gas chromatography-positive chemical ionization mass spectrometry

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) using positive chemical ionization was utilized to confirm the presence of 10 ng ml(-1) of nine sulfonamides (SFAs) in bovine milk (50 ml). After the addition of a surrogate and hydroxylamine hydrochloride, the SFAs are extracted with ethyl acetate followed by cyclohexyl solid-phase extraction clean-up. The methylamidotrifluoroacetyl derivatives are prepared and analyzed in selected ion monitoring mode. For regulatory confirmation, the required specificity was achieved by monitoring the molecular ion plus three to five fragment ions for each SFA. Retention times for all SFAs were within 0.1 min of their respective standard. The relative ion abundances were within 10% of those obtained with standards diluted to the same concentration, analyzed on the same day. Concentration was critical, especially for the early eluting SFAs, as the enhancement of the relative abundance of the parent was more pronounced in extracted samples then in the standards. The sensitivity of the mass spectrometer for the different SFAs varied greatly. The amount of SFA necessary to obtain spectra that would meet the confirmation criteria varied from 25 ng on column for the least sensitive to less than 3 ng for the more robust.

Analysis of antibiotics by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

The current status of the application of LC-MS in the analysis of antibiotic and antibacterial compounds is reviewed. The main application area of LC-MS in this field is the confirmation of identity in animal food products for human consumption at maximum residue levels, set by the regulatory authorities. LC-MS is found to play an important role in the determination and confirmation of sulphonamides, beta-lactam antibiotics, (fluoro) quinolone antibiotics, as well as various other groups including aminoglycosides, chloramphenicol, ionophore antibiotics, 5-nitrofuran derived compounds and macrolide antibiotics. Currently available data on these compound classes are reviewed, with special emphasis on important aspects especially relevant to LC-MS and on the mass spectral information obtained.

Use of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in the analysis of residues of antibiotics in meat and milk

The advent of affordable LC-MS systems has led to a massive increase in a number of publications describing quantitative methods for the analysis and confirmation of veterinary drug residues. The lack of volatility and thermal instability of many antibiotics makes LC-MS the method of choice for their analysis. In the review, analytical methods for the determination of residues of each of the major classes of antibiotics are presented.

Gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric determination of sulfamethazine in animal tissues using a methyl/trimethylsilyl derivative

A method is described for the determination of sulfamethazine in swine tissues by GC-MS. Samples are extracted with chloroform-acetone, followed sequentially by two solid-phase clean-up steps using silica gel and SCX ion exchange. The extracts are then partitioned between sodium dihydrogenphosphate (0.1 mol l-1) and methyl tert-butyl ether, the organic phase is evaporated to dryness and the sulfamethazine subjected to a double derivatization via methylation and silylation and determined by GC-MS in the selected-ion monitoring mode. Quantification is achieved by measuring the ratio of the abundances of the M-65 (-HSO2) ions of the derivatives of sulfamethazine and the internal standard, [phenyl-13C6]sulfamethazine, at m/z 299 and 305, respectively. The presence of sulfamethazine can be confirmed using the abundance ratios of the ions of m/z 299, 300 (-SO2) and 349 (-CH3). Recovery values from muscle, kidney and liver spiked at 0.05, 0.2 and 0.4 ppm ranged from 86 to 114% with RSDs between 2.8 and 9.0%. The limit of detection for the assay is 0.01-0.02 ppm. The methyl/trimethylsilyl derivatives exhibited better chromatography than the commonly used N1-methyl derivatives; for the same conditions, the peak was sharper and tailing was significantly reduced.