Xuqin Song

Development of a modified QUick, Easy, CHeap, Effective, Rugged and Safe method for the determination of multi-class antimicrobials in vegetables by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.

A modified quick, easy, cheap, efficient, rugged and safe (QuEChERS) method coupled with liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was developed for rapid determination of 26 veterinary antimicrobials in vegetables. Samples were extracted by single-phase extraction with acetonitrile-methanol (85:15, v/v) and citric buffer solution, followed by liquid-liquid partitioning with the addition of anhydrous magnesium sulfate and sodium chloride. A dispersive solid-phase extraction with primary secondary amine was applied for cleanup. Concentration and solvent exchange was performed prior to LC-MS/MS analysis. All matrix-matched calibration curves were linear with correlation coefficients (r) over 0.99. Recoveries for all the analytes spiked at 0.5 (1 or 1.5), 5 and 50 ng/mL were in the range of 60.0-98.0%, except for sulfaquinoxaline, sulfaclozine and doxycycline, with relative standard deviations below 25% for the low concentration level, 20% for the medium and 15% for the high. The decision limits and the detection capabilities of the analytes ranged from 0.005 to 0.5 μg/kg and from 0.02 to 1.5 μg/kg, respectively. The method was developed and validated in accordance with romaine lettuce matrix, and higher recovery rates were obtained from the other five kinds of vegetables including white radish, Chinese cabbage, cucumber, string bean and green pepper. Matrix effects of different vegetables were evaluated and signal suppression effect was observed for the majority of 26 analytes. Finally, the method was applied to the analysis of real samples collected from the agricultural areas in the vicinity of local pig farms, and the phenomenon of vegetables contaminated by antimicrobials residues is provoking.

Determination of cyproheptadine in feeds using molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction coupled with HPLC.

A novel method was developed for the determination of cyproheptadine in feeds using molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography. The polymers were prepared using cyproheptadine as a template molecule, methacrylic acid as a functional monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as a cross-linking agent, and dichloromethane as a solvent by bulk polymerization. Under the optimum solid-phase extraction conditions, the molecular imprinting cartridge can selectively extract and enrich cyproheptadine from a variety of feeds. Mean recoveries of cyproheptadine from four kinds of feeds spiked at 0.1, 1.0 and 10mgkg(-1) ranged from 85.5% to 96.2%, with intra-day and inter-day relative standard deviation less than 10%. The calibration curve of cyproheptadine was good linear relationship (r>0.9993) within the range of 0.1-50μgmL(-1). The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) were 0.04 and 0.1mgkg(-1), respectively.

Molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction for the determination of ten macrolide drugs residues in animal muscles by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

A simple and sensitive method based on molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction coupled with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was developed for the determination of the residues of ten macrolide drugs in swine, cattle and chicken muscles samples. The molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) were synthesized using tylosin as a template and methacrylic acid as a functional monomer. Samples were extracted with sodium borate buffer solution and ethyl acetate, and purified by the MIP cartridge. The results showed that the cartridge exhibited good recognition performance for macrolides, and better purification effect than the traditional solid-phase extraction cartridges. Recoveries of analytes at three spiking levels 1, 5 and 20μgkg(-1) ranged from 60.7% to 100.3% with the relative standard deviations less than 14%. The limits of detection of the method were between 0.1 and 0.4μgkg(-1). The method is useful for the routine monitoring of the residues of macrolide drugs in animal muscles.

Simultaneous determination of ten macrolides drugs in feeds by high performance liquid chromatography with evaporation light scattering detection

A sensitive and reproducible method based on high performance liquid chromatography with evaporation light scattering detection (ELSD) was developed for the simultaneous determination of 10 macrolides drugs such as azithromycin, tulathromycin, spiramycin, tilmicosin, tylosin, erythromycin, clarithromycin, roxithromycin, midecamycin and josamycin in feeds. Feed samples were extracted with a sodium borate buffer solution (pH 10.0) − ethyl acetate. The dry extracts were dissolved in a phosphate buffer solution (pH 8.0), and then applied to an Oasis HLB solid-phase extraction cartridge for cleanup. The residues were reconstituted in 0.5 mL of the mobile phase. By optimizing the main operational parameters of ELSD and chromatographic conditions, all target compounds were well separated on an Ecosil C8-SH column (250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) using a gradient elution program. The calibration curves showed good linearity (r > 0.9985) in the range of 1–200 μg mL−1 for ten analytes. The average recoveries of all analytes from five kinds of feeds spiked at three levels were between 60.2% and 112%, with intra-day and inter-day relative standard deviations below 11% and 15%, respectively. The limits of detection ranged from 0.4 to 0.8 mg kg−1 for ten macrolides.

Determination of residual fipronil in chicken egg and muscle by LC–MS/MS

A simple, sensitive and reliable method was developed and applied to the residue analysis of fipronil in chicken egg and muscle by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Chicken egg and muscle samples were extracted with acetronitrile, then salting out by dehydration with anhydrous magnesium sulfate and sodium chloride. The extracts were purified by the C18 solid phase extraction cartridge prior to analysis by LC-MS/MS. The matrix-matched calibration curve showed a good linear within the concentration range from 0.01 to 2.00μgkg(-1) (r(2)≥0.999). The average recoveries of fipronil at three spiked levels of 0.01, 0.1 and 1.0μgkg(-1) ranged from 79.7% to 98.0%, and the relative standard deviations were less than 8.8%. The decision limit (CCα) and detection capability (CCβ) of fipronil in chicken egg and muscle matrices were all 0.002μgkg(-1) and 0.01μgkg(-1), respectively. The method has also been successfully applied to monitoring fipronil in the real samples.

Simultaneous determination of aminoglycoside antibiotics in feeds using high performance liquid chromatography with evaporative light scattering detection

A sensitive, rapid and reproducible method has been developed based on high performance liquid chromatography with evaporative light scattering detection (HPLC-ELSD) for the simultaneous detection of ten aminoglycoside antibiotics including apramycin, neomycin, amikacin, and gentamicin. The influence of parameters of ELSD on the responses of aminoglycosides was investigated in detail. The target analytes were separated well on a Hypersil BDS C18 column based on ion-pair chromatography. The proposed method was applied to the determination of eight drugs in various animal feeds. Calibration curves of eight aminoglycosides were linear (r ≥ 0.997) within the range of 2.00–200 μg mL−1. The recoveries of eight aminoglycosides from 5 types of animal feeds ranged from 61.2% to 104.0% and the intra- and inter-day relative standard deviations were less than 15%. The limits of detection of the eight aminoglycoside drugs were between 0.2 and 0.7 mg kg−1.

Determination of multi-class antimicrobial residues in soil by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

Antimicrobial residues in environmental matrices may result in the occurrence of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in soil. In this paper, a new analytical method based on liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for multiresidue analysis of 24 antimicrobials of a wide polarity range and variable physicochemical properties, including sulfonamides, tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones, macrolides, lincosamides and pleuromutilins in soil was developed. Samples were extracted with an acetonitrile: Na2EDTA–McIlvaine buffer (pH 4.0, 5 : 5, v/v) system and then re-extracted with a 0.2 M sodium hydroxide solution. The extracts were purified using an HLB solid phase extraction cartridge. Chromatographic separation of the components was performed on a Zorbax SB-Aq column using acetonitrile–0.1% formic acid as mobile phase. The method developed was linear in a concentration range from the limits of quantification to 200 μg kg−1, with correlation coefficients higher than 0.99. The limits of detection and limits of quantification ranged from 0.01 to 2 μg kg−1 and 0.04 to 5 μg kg−1, respectively. The overall average recoveries for target analytes were more than 60% except for tetracycline (59.3%) in three spiked levels of 1, 4 and 20 μg kg−1 with relative standard deviations less than 20%. The method was further applied for the determination of residual antimicrobials in real samples. Some target antimicrobials were detected at different levels and tetracycline residues were dominant. 163.6 μg kg−1 of chlortetracycline was detected in a soil sample. The results indicate that the proposed method has good feasibility.

Determination of azithromycin residue in pork using a molecularly imprinted monolithic microcolumn coupled to liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry

Using spiramycin as a dummy template, a molecularly imprinted polymer monolithic micro-column with high selection to azithromycin was prepared in a micropipette tip. The imprinting factor of the monolithic micro-column prepared was approximately 2.67 and the morphological structure of the polymers was characterized by scanning electron microscopy. A simple, sensitive, and reproducible method based on the imprinted monolithic micro-column coupled to liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry was developed for determining the residues of azithromycin in pork. Pork samples were extracted with acetonitrile, cleaned up under the optimal monolithic micro-column conditions, and analyzed using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry in the multiple reaction monitoring mode. The assay exhibited a linear dynamic range of 0.50-50 μg/L with the correlation coefficient (r(2) ) above 0.99. In the three spiking levels of 0.50, 1.0, and 10 μg/kg, the average recoveries of azithromycin from pork samples were between 85.8 and 96.5% with a relative standard deviation below 10%. The limit of detection and limit of quantitation were 0.03 and 0.1 μg/kg, respectively.

Determination of Ten Macrolide Drugs in Environmental Water Using Molecularly Imprinted Solid-Phase Extraction Coupled with Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

With the extensive application of antibiotics in livestock, their contamination of the aquatic environment has received more attention. Molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP), as an eco-friendly and durable solid-phase extraction material, has shown great potential for the separation and enrichment of antibiotics in water. This study aims at developing a practical and economical method based on molecularly imprinted solid phase extraction (MISPE) combined with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for simultaneously detecting ten macrolide drugs in different sources of water samples. The MIP was synthesized by bulk polymerization using tylosin as the template and methacrylic acid as the functional monomer. The MIP exhibited a favorable load-bearing capacity for water (>90 mL), which is more than triple that of non-molecularly imprinted polymers (NIP). The mean recoveries of macrolides at four spiked concentration levels (limit of quantification, 40, 100, and 400 ng/L) were 62.6–100.9%, with intra-day and inter-day relative standard deviations below 12.6%. The limit of detection and limit of quantification were 1.0–15.0 ng/L and 3.0–40.0 ng/L, respectively. Finally, the proposed method was successfully applied to the analysis of real water samples.

Simultaneous determination of eight cyclopolypeptide antibiotics in feed by high performance liquid chromatography coupled with evaporation light scattering detection

A high throughput, reliable and reproducible analysis strategy based on high performance liquid chromatography combined to evaporative light scattering detector (HPLC-ELSD) was developed for simultaneous determination of eight cyclopolypeptide antibiotics including vancomycin, polymyxin B (polymyxin B1 and polymyxin B2), polymyxin E (colistin A and colistin B), teicoplanin, bacitracin A, daptomycin and virginiamycin M1 in animal Feed. Feed samples were extracted with methanol-2% formic acid aqueous solution, followed by a solid-phase extraction step using a HLB cartridge. Under the optimum chromatographic conditions and ELSD parameters, target compounds were separated well on a short column filled with biphenyl stationary phase. The method was developed in accordance with pig complete feed and then extended to detect polypeptide antibiotics in piglet premix, pig feed additive, poultry complete feed and fattening pig premix. The results showed that logarithmic calibration curves of eight analytes were linear (r2 > 0.99) within the concentration range of 5-200 mg mL-1. The developed method provided good accuracy and precision for quantification of eight polypeptides in five kinds of feeds with recoveries ranging from 72.0% to 105.4% with relative standard deviations <9.5%. The limits of detection ranged from 2 to 5 mg kg-1. Finally, the method was successfully applied to analyze polypeptide antibiotics in commercial feed.