[Determination of 14 β-agonists in animal meat by ultra high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry]

Se Pu. 2023 Dec;41(12):1106-1114. doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1123.2023.03008.
[Article in Chinese]

Abstract

The addition of β-agonists to animal feed can significantly improve the lean-meat rate of pigs, cattle, sheep, and other animals. However, the food residues of β-agonists are harmful to human health. When meat with β-agonist residues is consumed, poisoning symptoms such as palpitation, dizziness, and muscle tremors may develop, and damage to the cardiovascular system, liver, and kidney may occur. In this study, a method based on ultra high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) was established for the rapid detection of 14 β-agonists (clenbuterol, salbutamol, ractopamine, clorprenaline, terbutaline, tulobuterol, bromobuterol, bambuterol, zilpaterol, mabuterol, fenoterol, arformoterol, cimaterol, and cimbuterol) in animal food sources. The sample pretreatment method and chromatographic conditions were optimized. The samples were hydrolyzed with β-glucuronidase hydrochloride/aryl sulfate esterase in ammonium acetate buffer (pH 5.2). Enzymatic hydrolysis was performed in a constant-temperature water bath ((36±2) ℃) oscillator for 16 h. The samples were cooled to room temperature and extracted with 0.5% formic acid acetonitrile. NaCl was added to separate the organic and aqueous phases, and 5 mL of the upper organic layer was purified using a one-step purification solid-phase extraction column. After drying with nitrogen at 50 ℃, the residue was dissolved in 0.4 mL of 0.2% formic acid aqueous solution. The samples were passed through a 0.22 μm filter and detected by UHPLC-MS/MS with gradient elution using acetonitrile and 0.1% formic acid aqueous solution as the mobile phases. The analytes were separated on a Phenomenex Kinetex F5 column and detected by positive-ion scanning in multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. Internal and external standard methods were used for quantitative analysis. The effects of the extract pH, solid-phase extraction column, purification method, and dissolved solution on the extraction efficiency were optimized during pretreatment. UHPLC-quadrupole time-of-flight MS was used to verify the purification effect of the one-step purification solid-phase extraction column, and the results indicated that this type of column could remove most of the phospholipids, sphingolipids, and glycerides in the sample extract. The factors influencing the different chromatographic columns and mobile phases were investigated. MS scanning was conducted in positive-ion mode with needle pump injection in mass-only mode, and the two daughter ions with the highest responses for each target were selected as the quantitative and qualitative ions. The declustering potential (DP) and collision energy (CE) of each ion were separately optimized in MRM mode. The switching mode of the mass spectrum and waste liquid was used, and the mobile phase was switched to waste liquid after all the target peaks were removed. These steps ensured that impurities in the sample flowed out of the column in a timely manner and that the effects of excessive impurities on the mass spectra were avoided. The 14 β-agonists showed good linear relationships in the range of 1.0-50 μg/L, with correlation coefficients of >0.99. The limits of detection (LODs) and quantification (LOQs) were in the range of 0.1-0.2 and 0.3-0.6 μg/kg, respectively. The average recoveries of the 14 β-agonists ranged from 70.25% to 117.48%, with relative standard deviations (RSDs) in the range of 0.63%-14.29% at low, medium, and high spiked levels. Pork, beef, and mutton samples were selected and analyzed using the developed method. The results were close to those of the national standard method, indicating that the method is accurate and reliable. Moreover, the proposed method has good stability and high accuracy; thus, it is suitable for the qualitative and quantitative determination of β-agonists in animal meat.

在动物饲养过程中使用β-受体激动剂类药物可以显著提高猪、牛、羊等动物的瘦肉率。但是残留β-受体激动剂的食物被消费者食用后会危害身体健康。该文建立了超高效液相色谱-串联质谱快速检测畜肉中14种β-受体激动剂(克伦特罗、沙丁胺醇、莱克多巴胺、氯丙那林、特布他林、妥布特罗、溴布特罗、班布特罗、齐帕特罗、马布特罗、非诺特罗、福莫特罗、西马特罗、西布特罗)的方法,并对样品前处理和色谱条件进行了优化。样品加入乙酸铵缓冲液(pH 5.2)和β-盐酸葡萄糖醛苷酶/芳基硫酸酯酶,在(36±2) ℃水浴中酶解16 h后,放置至室温。经0.5%甲酸乙腈提取,加入NaCl粉末使乙腈和水相分层,取5 mL上层乙腈,使用一步式净化固相萃取柱进行净化,50 ℃氮气吹干后用0.4 mL 0.2%甲酸水溶液复溶,过0.22 μm微孔滤膜后上机分析。以乙腈和0.1%甲酸水溶液作为流动相进行梯度洗脱分析,经过Phenomenex Kinetex F5色谱柱分离后采用正离子扫描,多反应监测(MRM)模式进行检测,使用内标法和外标法定量。讨论了前处理过程中提取液的pH值、固相萃取柱种类、净化方式和复溶液的种类对提取效率的影响。采用超高效液相色谱-四极杆飞行时间质谱仪验证了一步式净化固相萃取柱的净化效果,证明了此类固相萃取柱能除去样品提取液中大部分的磷脂、鞘脂和甘油酯类物质。考察了仪器分析过程中色谱柱、流动相等影响因素。采用质谱和废液切换模式,既保证了样品中的杂质能及时从色谱柱中流出,又避免过多的杂质进入质谱。结果表明,14种β-受体激动剂在1.0~50 μg/L范围内线性关系良好,相关系数均大于0.99,方法的检出限为0.1~0.2 μg/kg,定量限为0.3~0.6 μg/kg。在低、中、高3个加标水平下,14种β-受体激动剂的平均回收率为70.25%~117.48%,相对标准偏差为0.63%~14.29%。该方法稳定性好,准确度高,适用于畜肉中多种β-受体激动剂残留的检测。

Keywords: animal meat; one-step purification solid-phase column; ultra high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS); β-agonist.

Publication types

  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Acetonitriles
  • Animals
  • Cattle
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Humans
  • Ions
  • Meat* / analysis
  • Sheep
  • Solid Phase Extraction
  • Swine
  • Tandem Mass Spectrometry* / methods

Substances

  • formic acid
  • Acetonitriles
  • Ions