Bithionol residue analysis in animal-derived food products by an effective and rugged extraction method coupled with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Herein, we developed a simple analytical procedure for the quantitation of bithionol residues in animal-derived food products such as porcine muscle, eggs, milk, eel, flatfish, and shrimp using a modified quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) extraction method coupled with liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI+/MS-MS). Samples were extracted with 0.1% solution of formic acid in acetonitrile and the extract was purified using a C18 sorbent. Separation was performed on a Waters XBridge™ C18 reversed-phase analytical column using 0.1% solution of formic acid/acetonitrile as the mobile phase. Six-point matrix-matched calibration indicated good linearity, with the calculated coefficients of determination (R2) being≥0.9813. Intra- and inter-day recoveries (determined at spiking levels equivalent to 1×and 2×the limit of quantitation (0.25µg/kg)) ranged between 80.0 and 94.0%, with the corresponding relative standard deviations (RSDs) being≤8.2%. The developed experimental protocol was applied to different samples purchased from local markets in Seoul, which were tested negative for bithionol residues. In conclusion, the proposed method proved to be versatile and precise, being ideally suited for the routine detection of bithionol residues in animal-derived food products with various protein and fat contents.

Determination of bithionol, bromophen, nitroxynil, oxyclozanide, and tribromsalan in milk with liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry.

LC/MS/MS was developed to determine the residues of bithionol (BTN), bromofen (BMF), nitroxynil (NTX), oxyclozanide (OCZ), and tribromsalan (TBS) in milk. Samples were extracted with ethyl acetate and cleaned up by liquid-liquid separation with acetonitrile and n-hexane. The compounds were determined by RP-LC using a C18 column with 0.1% formic acid-methanol. Mass spectral acquisition was performed in the negative mode by applying selected-reaction monitoring. The method was validated in milk spiked with these compounds at 5-600 microg/kg; average recoveries were in the range 83.8-97.1%, with RSD values of 1.4-8.0%. The interassay RSDs were less than 11%. The LODs of these compounds in milk were 0.1 microg/kg. The method was applied to 24 raw milk samples. The concentration of these compounds in all samples was lower than the Japanese maximum residue limits. The method is rapid, sensitive, and specific for monitoring residues of BTN, BMF, NTX, OCZ, and TBS in milk.

Simultaneous determination of five fasciolicides in milk by liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection.

A sensitive and specific method is described for determination of 5 fasciolicides in milk. The drugs are used to control liver flukes in cattle. The milk sample was homogenized with acetone and acetonitrile, sonicated, and centrifuged. The supernatant was extracted with dichloromethane. The extract was evaporated to dryness, dissolved in 1% sodium hydrogen carbonate, and purified on a C18 cartridge. The 5 drugs were separated from the matrix by reversed-phase liquid chromatography (LC) and determined by dual-electrode coulometric detection on a Kaseisorb LC ODS-300-5 column. The mobile phase was acetonitrile-0.05M potassium dihydrogen phosphate (55 + 45) at pH 3.0. The flow rate was 1 mL/min at 40 degrees C. The applied potentials of detectors 1 and 2 were set at 0.20 and 0.55 V, respectively. The average recovery of the drugs added to milk at 0.01 and 0.1 micrograms/mL was 89.6%, and the coefficient of variation was 4.7%. The detection limits of the drugs in milk were 4-20 ng/mL. The method is used to monitor commercial milk samples and to determine the residual levels of these drugs in milk from cows treated with a fasciolicide.

The photochemical binding of bithionol to soluble proteins and peptides.

The photochemical reactions of the bacteriocide bithionol (a known photoallergen in man) with soluble proteins and peptides, were investigated. Solutions of human serum albumin (HSA), human gamma-globulin, bovine insulin and poly-L-lysine were irradiated with ultraviolet light of wavelength 313 nm in the presence of [35S]-bithionol and the extent of photochemical (covalent) binding determined. HSA bound at least four molecules of bithionol per molecule of HSA. Bithionol was also found to bind to gamma-globulin to a similar extent; lower levels of binding were achieved with bovine insulin and poly-L-lysine. A bithionol-HSA photoadduct was treated with cyanogen bromide to determine the selectivity of binding. Fractionation after cyanogen bromide treatment showed that bithionol was bound to both major fragments of HSA, with a preference for the N-terminal region of the protein.

Liquid chromatographic determination of depletion of bithionol sulfoxide and its two major metabolites in bovine milk.

A liquid chromatographic method is described for determining bithionol sulfoxide and its metabolites, bithionol and bithionol sulfone, in milk. Samples are treated with HCl to precipitate proteins and to permit extraction of bithionol sulfoxide in nonionized form. Tetrahydrofuran is added to the organic phase to facilitate extraction in diethyl ether; the dried residue is dissolved in chloroform, hexane, and sodium hydroxide and subjected to LC analysis. Residues of bithionol sulfoxide and its 2 metabolites were determined in milk of lactating cows. Holstein-Friesian dairy cows were administered a single oral dose of bithionol sulfoxide (50 mg/kg). Milk samples were analyzed with a reliable detection level of 0.025 microgram/mL for each compound. Residues of bithionol sulfoxide and bithionol were detected during 30 and 16 milkings, respectively; bithionol sulfone was never present at detectable levels.