Confirmatory Method for the Determination of Amphenicols in Muscle and Kidney of Several Animal Species

Abstract

A rapid and reliable method using liquid chromatography (UHPLC) tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) to identify and quantify chloramphenicol (CAP), thiamphenicol (TAP), florfenicol (FF) and its marker residue florfenicol amine (FFA) has been developed and validated. FF and TAP are both allowed substances and different MRLs have been established for different matrices and species. However, CAP is a well-known forbidden substance with a MRPL of 0.3 μg kg−1 for all matrices. It was relevant to develop this confirmatory method to quantify simultaneously the four amphenicols in kidney and muscle of all species, to make more effective the official control programme for this group of substances. The variety of levels of interest to be studied for the allowed compounds and the different chemical behaviour of FFA have been the main difficulties in the development and validation of the method. The method has been validated in swine, bovine, caprine, equine, porcine, aquaculture species, rabbit and poultry muscle and kidney (except aquaculture species, rabbit and poultry). Performance criteria have been calculated in accordance with Commission Decision 2002/657/EC. The proposed procedure is being applied to the official control in the Valencian Region after being successfully evaluated by ENAC (Spanish national body for the accreditation).