Multiresidue determination of fluoroquinolone antibiotics in eggs using liquid chromatography-fluorescence-mass spectrometry

• Published in: Analytica chimica acta 2003-04, Vol.483 (1-2), p.39-49
• Main Authors: SCHNEIDER, Marilyn J, DONOGHUE, Dan J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analysis; Analytical chemistry; Biological and medical sciences; Chemistry; Chromatographic methods and physical methods associated with chromatography; Exact sciences and technology; General pharmacology; Medical sciences; Other chromatographic methods; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Spectrometric and optical methods
• ISSN: 0003-2670; 1873-4324
• DOI: 10.1016/S0003-2670(02)01378-8

An efficient multiresidue method for determination of fluoroquinolone antibiotics in eggs has been developed, in which quantitation and confirmation are achieved simultaneously using fluorescence and MSn. With this method, eight fluoroquinolones were analyzed in fortified egg samples at levels of 10- 100 ng g super(-1). Recoveries for desethylene ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin, danofloxacin, enrofloxacin, orbifloxacin, sarafloxacin and difloxacin were generally in the range 60-100%, with excellent relative standard deviations. The limits of quantitation ranged from 0.1 to 2 ng g super(-1) in mixed egg. Confirmation was achieved by monitoring the ratios of two prominent product ions in MS super(2) (desethylene ciprofloxacin) or MS super(3) (all others). The method was found to be applicable to the analysis of egg whites and also egg yolks, with limits of quantitation ranging from 0.1 to 7 ng g super(-1) (egg white) and 0.1-1.5 ng g super(-1) (egg yolk). ENRO-incurred mixed eggs, egg whites and egg yolks were also successfully analyzed using this method.