Solid-phase extraction and simultaneous determination of tetracycline residues in edible cattle tissues using an HPLC-FL method

ABSTRACT

In this assay, edible cattle tissues from local markets of Ardabil, a Province of Iran, were examined for residues of tetracycline antibiotics [tetracycline, oxytetracycline and chlortetracycline]. In total, 110 samples of triceps, gluteal muscle, diaphragm, kidney and liver were randomly obtained from the local markets of the city of Ardabil. Solid-phase extraction [SPE] and high-performance liquid chromatography [HPLC] methods were used to extract and analyze tetracycline antibiotic [TC] residues, respectively. The mean amount of total TC residues in all tested samples was 226.3 +/- 112.5 ng/g and the mean amount of the total TC residues in triceps, gluteal muscle, diaphragm, kidney and liver samples were 176.3 +/- 46.8, 405.3 +/- 219.6, 96.8 +/- 26.9, 672.4 +/- 192.0 and 651.3 +/- 210.1 ng/g, respectively. Additionally, 25.8% of muscle samples, 31.8% of liver samples and 22.7% of kidney samples contained amounts of TC residues beyond the maximum residue limit [MRLs]. To reduce the TC residues found in edible cattle tissues, regulatory authorities should ensure that the cattle would undergo the proper withdrawal period from TCs before the slaughtering