Rapid determination of residues of 4 tetracyclines in meat by a microbiological screening, HPLC and LC/MS/MS

A rapid and precise determination residues of 4 tetracyclines (TCs) (oxytetracycline (OTC), tetracycline (TC), chlortetracycline (CTC) and doxycycline (DOXY)) in meat was developed by employing three analyses; a microbiological screening, HPLC and LC/MS/MS. TCs were extracted with pH 4.0 McIlvaine buffer containing 0.01 mol/L EDTA from a meat sample, and then purified using a mixed mode, reversed-phase and cation-exchange cartridge. The mean recoveries (n=5) of 0.2 microg/g OTC, TC and CTC, 0.05 microg/g DOXY spiked in meat samples were 76.6-99.0% (C.V. 1.6-5.4%). In 13 meat samples in which the microbiological screening indicated the presence of TCs, CTC (9 samples) and DOXY (4 samples) were identified with HPLC and LC/MS/MS.