Evaluation of the application of electric potential in solid phase extraction for the determination of sulfonamides in eggs by HPLC-DAD and LC-MS/MS

Abstract

Sulfonamides are widely used as veterinary drugs for prevention and treatment of diseases in poultry production. Residues of these drugs can be accumulated in eggs and may represent a risk to food safety.Eggs are complex biological matrix and significant amounts of interferents can impair the determination of the compounds of interest by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), especially when they are at ppb levels. Among the various techniques of sample preparation that can eliminate interferents and concentrate the analyte of interest, the solid phase extraction (SPE) is known for its efficiency, robustness, selectivity and low solvent consumption. However due to the complexities of the matrix and the low concentration of analytes, the establishment of SPE extraction methods with high extraction efficiency of the analyte and minimal interference is still a challenge in residue analysis. The present project aims to evaluate the sample preparation using solid phase extraction with and without application of electric potential (E-SPE®) for the determination of sulfonamide residues in eggs by high performance liquid chromatography combined with a photodiode array detector ( HPLC-DAD) and a mass spectrometry in tandem (LC-MS/MS). The application of electrical potential during the procedure aims to increase the extraction efficiency associated with the elimination of interferences as compared to conventional SPE by the generation of an electric field in the cartridge bed. For this purpose both extraction and electrophoretic parameters will be evaluated in order to obtain the optimization of the process. In addition, the method to determine sulfonamide residues in eggs by E-SPE HPLC-DAD will be validated and the elimination of matrix interferences will be assessed in relation to the effects of signal suppression or enhancement in the LC-MS/MS. The application of electric potential in SPE (SPE-E®) is an innovative procedure that has shown promising results that were the basis for the patent obtained by the research group Paracelsus also has demonstrated positive results for sulfonamides. (AU)