Thin layer chromatographic/bioautographic method for identification of antibiotic residues in animal tissues

An analytical method for the identification of the residues from 14 commonly used antibiotics is presented. The technique is based on selective tissue extraction followed by thin layer chromatography (TLC)/bioautography. Antibiotic residues are extracted from the tissues with methanol and methanol-HCl (98 + 2). The methanol extract is further extracted with chloroform to isolate groups of antibiotics. The extracts are spotted onto TLC plates and developed in suitable solvent systems. Developed plates are placed on set medium seeded with Bacillus subtilis and a bioautograph is produced. The locations of zones of inhibition are used to identify antibiotic residues. Recoveries of antibiotics were quantitative, while the effect of naturally inhibiting components of the matrix was minimized. The sensitivity of the method can be adjusted through minor modifications, which allows its use in routine regulatory analysis.     

Rapid quantitative thin layer chromatographic screening procedure for sulfathiazole residues in honey

A procedure is presented for the quantitative determination of sulfathiazole residues in honey. Induced fluorescence of sulfathiazole is measured by fluorescent scanning densitometry; sulfaquinoxaline is added as an internal standard for quantitation. Recovery is greater than 98% and results are linear over the range 0.05-0.60 mg/kg. The detection limit, CL (k = 3), is 0.02. The procedure allows a single analyst to process 50-60 samples/day.     

Gas chromatographic determination of avilamycin total residues in pig tissues, fat, blood, feces, and urine

A gas chromatographic (GC) procedure is presented for the determination of residues of avilamycin and all its metabolites/conjugates which can be converted to the common moiety dichloroisoeverninic acid (DIA). The method involves alkaline hydrolysis to DIA, cleanup by partitioning with chloroform, acidification of the aqueous phase, and partitioning of DIA into methylene chloride. After methylation of DIA, the product, 3,5-dichloro-4,6-dimethoxy-2-methylbenzoic acid methyl ester, is cleaned up on a silica gel column prior to the final determination by electron capture GC. The method is sensitive to 0.1 mg/kg avilamycin equivalent. Overall average recoveries were 85.4%, with a standard deviation of 9.1% for n = 20. Analyses of feces, urine, tissues, and fat of pigs treated with avilamycin demonstrated that 93% of the administered substance is excreted in feces and urine, within 72 h after treatment, and that no residues (less than 0.01 mg/kg) can be found in the tissues and fat of the animals at any time between 0 and 7 days after treatment with medicated feed.     

Thin layer chromatographic method for determination of deoxynivalenol in wheat: collaborative study

A collaborative study of a rapid method for the determination of deoxynivalenol (DON) in winter wheat was successfully completed. The method involves sample extraction with acetonitrile-water (84 + 16), cleanup using a disposable column of charcoal, Celite, and alumina, and detection by thin layer chromatography after spraying with an aluminum chloride solution. Each of the 15 collaborators analyzed 12 samples, 2 of which were naturally contaminated, and 10 to which DON was added, in duplicate, at levels of 0, 50, 100, 300, and 1000 ng/g. Average recoveries of DON ranged from 78 to 96% with repeatabilities of 30-64% and reproducibilities of 33-87%. The results of the study show that false positives were not a problem and that all of the analysts could detect DON at the 300 ng/g level or higher. The method has been adopted official first action.     

A screening method for determining nitrofuran drug residues in animal tissues.

A method was developed for measuring low levels of total nitrofurans in animal tissues and milk. The antimicrobial nitrofurans (5 or more products) used in agriculture are extracted from tissue with aqueous acid in the presence of ethyl acetate. After centrifugation and evaporation, the organic residue is washed with hexane and the nitrofurans are hydrolyzed to 5-nitrofuraldehyde in aqueous acid at 70 degrees C. The hydrolysis product is extracted with benzene and measured by gas-liquid chromatography with electron capture detection. Recoveries of nitrofurazone and furazolidone from fortified poultry and swine tissues at the levels of 0.5 and 0.1 ppm are 75 and 65%, respectively. This procedure can be used to detect the total nitrofuran content of as little as 10 ppb muscle tissues and milk, 100 ppb liver, and 50 ppb fat with no interference from related veterinary nitrodrugs.     

Thin layer chromatographic method for the detection of uric acid: collaborative study

A collaborative study has been completed on an improved method for the detection and confirmation of uric acid from bird and insect excreta. The proposed method involves the lithium carbonate solubilization of the suspect excreta material, followed by butanol-methanol-water-acetic acid thin layer chromatography, and trisodium phosphate-phosphotungstic acid color development. The collaborative tests resulted in 100% detection of uric acid standard at the 50 ng level and 75% detection at the 20-25 ng level. No false positives were reported during tests of compounds similar to uric acid. The proposed method has been adopted official first action; the present official final action method, 44.161, will be retained for screening purposes.     

Thin layer chromatographic determination of sterigmatocystin in cheese

A one-dimensional thin layer chromatographic method has been developed for determining sterigmatocystin in cheese. Cheese is extracted with acetonitrile-4% KCl (85 + 15). A simplified liquid-liquid partition cleanup is used, and the sample extract is passed through a cupric carbonate column for final purification. Sterigmatocystin is visualized by spraying the plate with aluminum chloride. The fluorescence of the spot is enhanced 10-fold by additional plate spraying with a silicone-ether mixture, enabling sterigmatocystin detection and quantitation at 2 and 5 micrograms/kg, respectively. Average recoveries were 88.3 and 86.4% at the 10 and 25 micrograms/kg levels, respectively.     

Modified method for electron capture gas-liquid chromatographic determination of diethylstilbestrol residues in urine of fattened bulls

A gas-liquid chromatographic (GLC) method with electron capture (EC) detection was developed for determining diethylstilbestrol residues in the urine of fattened bulls. Diethylstilbestrol (DES) is extracted into benzene, and then into 1N sodium hydroxide. The pH of the phenolic fraction (alkaline phase) is adjusted to 10.2 and DES is extracted again into benzene. Sample extracts are cleaned up on silica gel. Trifluoroacetic anhydride (TFAA) is used as acylation reagent, and the derivatized sample is chromatographed on a 3% OV-17 column and measured with a 63Ni EC detector. The method is suitable for determining residues at levels as low as 2 ppb.     

Thin layer chromatographic determination of aflatoxin in corn dust

Methods adopted by the AOAC and the American Association of Cereal Chemists for determining aflatoxin in corn were modified, and techniques were developed for application to samples of less than 1 to 10 g instead of the specified 50 g samples. Analysis included chloroform extraction of dust samples or dust collected from glass fiber filters, purification of extracts on a silica gel column of appropriate size, and measurement of aflatoxin by either 1- or 2-dimensional thin layer chromatography (TLC). The solvent for 1-dimensional TLC was chloroform-acetone-water (91 + 9 + 1). Solvents for 2-dimensional TLC were, first direction, ether-methanol-water (95 + 4 + 1, lined tank) and second direction, chloroform-acetone-water (91 + 9 + 1, unlined tank), or first direction, chloroform-acetone-water (91 + 9 + 1, unlined tank) and second direction, toluene-ethyl acetate-formic acid (60 + 30 + 10, unlined tank). When samples weighed less than or equal to 0.1 g, the entire concentrated extract was applied to the TLC plate. About 0.5-1.0 ng aflatoxin B1 could be detected on the plate, making the limit of detection about 9 ng/g for 0.1 g samples.