A screening method for determining nitrofuran drug residues in animal tissues

A method was developed for measuring low levels of total nitrofurans in animal tissues and milk. The antimicrobial nitrofurans (5 or more products) used in agriculture are extracted from tissue with aqueous acid in the presence of ethyl acetate. After centrifugation and evaporation, the organic residue is washed with hexane and the nitrofurans are hydrolyzed to 5-nitrofuraldehyde in aqueous acid at 70 degrees C. The hydrolysis product is extracted with benzene and measured by gas-liquid chromatography with electron capture detection. Recoveries of nitrofurazone and furazolidone from fortified poultry and swine tissues at the levels of 0.5 and 0.1 ppm are 75 and 65%, respectively. This procedure can be used to detect the total nitrofuran content of as little as 10 ppb muscle tissues and milk, 100 ppb liver, and 50 ppb fat with no interference from related veterinary nitrodrugs.