Liquid chromatographic determination of monensin in premix and animal feeds: collaborative study

An interlaboratory study of a liquid chromatographic (LC) method for determining monensin in premix (60-80 g/lb or 132-176 mg/g) and animal feeds (5-200 g/ton or 0.0055-0.22 mg/g) was conducted in laboratoriesin the United States, Canada, France, and Germany. The LC system used a reversed-phase column, postcolumn derivatization with vanillin, and UV detection. The method separates monensin from other ionophores such as narasin and salinomycin. Each laboratory analyzed a total of 20 samples of premix, liquid feed supplements, poultry, and cattle feeds. Concentrations of monensin in all samples ranged from 0 to 176 mg/g (80 g/lb). Reproducibility relative standard deviation (RSDR) for premix ranged from 2.8 to 3.4%. For feed samples containing monensin, repeatability standard deviation (sr) ranged from 0.9 to 7.0. Reproducibility standard deviation (sR) ranged from 1.2 to 11. Repeatability relative standard deviation (RSDr) ranged from 6.1 to 21% and RSDR values-ranged from 8.6 to 25%. Sample preparation for the LC method is less labor intensive than that for the microbiological assays. The LC assay is more efficient than the microbiological assays. This LC method for determination of monensin in premix and animal feeds has been adopted first action by AOAC INTERNATIONAL.