Ionic liquid-based aqueous two-phase system extraction of sulfonamides in milk

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Food Chemistry
• Environmental Chemistry

Background:

• Sulfonamides (SAs) are widely used veterinary drugs, raising concerns about their residues in milk.
• Accurate and sensitive detection methods are crucial for ensuring milk safety and quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a simple, rapid, and environmentally friendly method for determining six sulfonamides in milk samples.
• To optimize extraction efficiency using an ionic liquid-based aqueous two-phase system.

Main Methods:

• Development of an aqueous two-phase system using 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate and trisodium citrate dihydrate for SA extraction.
• High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for the determination of extracted sulfonamides.
• Optimization of experimental parameters including salt type/amount, ionic liquid type/amount, sonication time, and sample pH.

Main Results:

• The method demonstrated good linearity (8.55–1036.36 ng/mL) with low limits of detection (2.04–2.84 ng/mL) and quantification (6.73–9.37 ng/mL).
• Successful application to real milk samples with recoveries ranging from 72.32% to 108.96%.
• Low relative standard deviations (0.56–12.20%) indicate method reliability.

Conclusions:

• The developed method is rapid, feasible, and environmentally friendly for sulfonamide determination in milk.
• The ionic liquid-based aqueous two-phase system offers an effective extraction strategy for trace analysis in complex matrices.
• This approach contributes to enhanced food safety monitoring through reliable residue analysis.