A Multi-Class, Multi-Residue Method for Detection of Veterinary Drugs in Multiple Meat Using a Pass-Through Cleanup SPE Technique and UPLC-MS/MS Analysis

Abstract

A quantitative method using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) was developed for the determination of 60 compounds, belonging to a variety of veterinary drug (VD) classes, in meat. The included analytes belong to the following VD classes: β-agonists, sulfanilamides, quinolones, macrolides, tetracyclines, β-lactams, nitroimidazoles, glucocorticoids, sex hormones, chloromycetins, sedatives, and olaquindox metabolite. The effective PRiME pass-through cleanup procedure was used to ensure high extraction efficiency and good sample cleanup after a simple liquid extraction of the meat samples with acetonitrile/water. The developed method was validated successfully. Mean recoveries for all analytes ranged from 80 to 116%, with the relative standard deviations (RSDs) ≤ 7.8%. Limits of quantification were in the range 0.05–3.0 μg kg−1 and limits of detection were in the range 0.1–10 μg kg−1. The matrix effect was evaluated for the different meat matrices and was found to be markedly different in different matrices. The validated method was used in a pilot study to analyze real samples of pork, beef, mutton, chicken, and pork liver, lambs’ liver, and chicken liver. Trace amounts of β-agonists, oxytetracycline, quinolones, chloromycetin sulfadimidine, and 3-methyl-quinoxaline-2-carboxylicacid were detected in these samples. In conclusion, this workflow can provide a simpler and more cost-effective alternative to conventional analytical methods and is compatible with processing large sample numbers in a short time period.