Matrix solid-phase dispersion as a multiresidue extraction technique for beta-agonists in bovine liver tissue

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Food Safety
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Accurate detection of drug residues in food matrices is crucial for public health and regulatory compliance.
• Existing methods may lack the sensitivity or efficiency required for detecting low-level residues of beta-agonists like salbutamol.
• Conjugated forms of drugs can be challenging to extract and quantify, potentially leading to underestimation of exposure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a sensitive method for extracting and measuring salbutamol, including its conjugated forms, in liver samples.
• To optimize an enzyme hydrolysis step for the deconjugation of incurred salbutamol residues.
• To assess the method's applicability for determining other related beta-agonists.

Main Methods:

• Combined matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) for sample extraction.
• Radioimmunoassay (RIA) for sensitive quantification of salbutamol residues.
• Enzyme hydrolysis for deconjugation of incurred drug metabolites.

Main Results:

• The developed procedure successfully extracts and measures salbutamol residues at sub-parts per billion (ppb) levels in liver samples.
• Validation studies on fortified liver samples demonstrated good recoveries within the 1-5 ppb range.
• The method proved effective for determining other beta-agonists (clenbuterol, mabuterol, terbutaline, cimaterol) at residue levels below 1 ng/g.

Conclusions:

• The described MSPD-RIA procedure is a robust and sensitive method for salbutamol residue analysis in liver.
• The optimized enzyme hydrolysis effectively deconjugates incurred residues, providing a more accurate assessment.
• The method is versatile and suitable for the determination of various beta-agonists, supporting food safety monitoring.