Confirmatory assay for the simultaneous detection of eight penicillin antibiotics in swine muscle and kidney by Liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry
A rapid, simple and reliable LC-MS/MS method, which can be used on a routine basis, was developed for the simultaneous detection of 8 penicillin antibiotics (amoxicillin, ampicillin, penicillin-G, penicillin-V, oxacillin, cloxacillin, nafcillin and dicloxacillin) in swine muscle and kidney. The antibiotics were extracted from samples with water and methanol. The extract was centrifuged, filtered and analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled with a tandem mass spectrometer (LC-MS/MS), using a C18 reversed phase column with water/acetonitrile gradient containing 0.05 % formic acid. Mass spectral acquisition was achieved in an electrospray positive ion mode by applying multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) of 2 fragment ion transitions to provide a high degree of sensitivity and specificity. The ion rations were consistent and could be used for confirmation of identity of the penicillin antibiotics. Recoveries of eight penicillins at three fortification levels (10, 20 and 40㎍/㎏) ranged from 79.8 to 102.4% and 72.8 to 103.4% in swine muscle and kidney, respectively. The coefficient of variation was than 9% in all samples. The estimated limits of quantification (LOQs) ranged from 1.0 to 3.2㎍/㎏ in swine muscle and kidney, respectively. The LOQs of this method are below the MRLs of penicillin antibiotics in animal tissues established in Korea and other countries.