[Matrix effects in analysis of three beta-agonist residues in pig edible tissues using gas chromatography-mass...

A gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method was established for the determination of the residues of three beta-agonists (clenbuterol, salbutamol and ractopamine) in pig edible tissues. The matrix effects (MEs) in the analysis of the three compounds with the developed method were determined. The influences of matrix state and its weight on MEs were evaluated statistically. The analytes in pig liver and muscle and their corresponding freeze-dried powders were derivatized with N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl) trifluoroacetamide. Then the derivatives were determined in selected ion monitoring mode and the intensities of MEs of the three beta-agonists were obtained. Significant matrix enhancement was observed for the three analytes, and especially, the ME of ractopamine was more than 1000%. The results of analysis of variance (ANOVA) demonstrated that MEs were significantly different for the three analytes in two matrices among different matrix weights (P < 0.05), and MEs of the three analytes increased from 1 g to 5 g with the increase of matrix weight. MEs for the three analytes were not significantly different between fresh pig tissues and its freeze-dried powder matrices (P > 0.05), indicating that the freeze-dried powder matrices might be used to conveniently prepare the matrix-matched calibration solution, which could efficiently compensate the MEs of the beta-agonists in GC-MS analysis.