Simple method detects sulphonamides at less than half the EU and Canadian regulatory limits, using conventional hardware and minimal analysis
Agilent Technologies has announced a simplified method for detecting sulphonamide antibiotics in pork.
The method reliably measures sulphonamides at lower than half the European Union and Canadian regulatory limits of 100 parts per billion (ppb) in meat.
The method uses conventional equipment, entails minimal sample preparation and has a maximum injection cycle of only ten minutes.
These advantages make the method particularly useful for high-throughput laboratories that monitor the food supply for drug residues.
Sulphonamides are broad-spectrum antimicrobials used in humans and animals.
Their presence in the food supply is closely regulated because low-level exposure to these drugs can create antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria.
Using this method, Agilent scientists extracted samples with acidified methanol, centrifuged the samples, and diluted a portion of the extract with water.
They then analysed the dilution by high-performance liquid chromatography/atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation/mass spectrometry (LC/APCI/MS), using an Agilent 1100 series LC/MS system.
All compounds eluted in less than five minutes.
Positive findings were confirmed on the MS detector during the same run.
The method provides a statistically derived detection limit of 10 to 25ppb for samples analysed by water dilution.
Further information is available by requesting Agilent application note 'A validated atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation method for analysing sulphonamides in pork muscle", publication 5989-0182EN.
This note is available without charge from any Agilent sales office or from its website.
