Development and validation of a multiclass method for the determination of antibiotic residues in honey using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

ABSTRACT

A new, simple and fast method was developed for the determination of multi-class antibiotic residues in honey (sulfonamides, tetracyclines, macrolides, lincosamides and aminoglycosides). Separation and determination were carried out by LC-MS/MS. During sample preparation, various parameters affecting extraction efficiency were examined, including the type of solvent, pH, efficiencies of cleavage of N-glycosidic linkages by hydrochloric acid, ultrasonic extraction and its duration compared with shaking, along with dispersive SPE clean-up. Experiments with fortified samples demonstrated that 10 min of ultrasonic treatment with acidified methanol (HCl 2 M) followed by dispersive SPE clean-up with 50 mg PSA gave an effective sample preparation method for several classes of antibiotics in honey. Anhydroerythromycin A, erythromycin A enol ether and desmycosin were used as markers for the presence of erythromycin A and tylosin A in honey samples. The method was validated according to European Commission Decision (EC) No. 2002/657. The recoveries of analytes ranged from 85% to 111%. Repeatability and intra-laboratory reproducibility were < 20.6% and 26.8%, respectively. Decision limit (CCα) and detection capability (CCβ) ranged from 6 to 9 µg kg^–1 and from 7 to 13 µg kg^–1, respectively, except for streptomycin and neomycin, which showed slightly higher CCα at 25 µg kg^–1 and CCβ at 34 µg kg^–1. Finally, the method was applied to the honey test material 02270 through a FAPAS proficiency test (PT) for the determination of tetracyclines. PT results were obtained within a z-score range of ±2, proving that the validated method is suitable for routine analysis to ensure the quality of honey.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• Multi-class analysis
• veterinary drugs
• honey
• LC-MS/MS
• validation

Acknowledgment

The authors thank the Reference Laboratory of Fougeres from the French Agency for Safety of Food, Environment and Occupational Health for its continuous scientific support throughout the project.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Lebanese National Council for Scientific Research (CNRSL); the Lebanese Atomic Energy Commission (LAEC); and the Reference Laboratory of ANSES-Fougeres (ANSES).