Comparison of several extraction techniques for multiclass analysis of veterinary drugs in eggs using ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

This study compared four extraction methods for the simultaneous determination of tetracyclines, macrolides, quinolones, sulphonamides and anthelmintics (including benzimidazoles and avermectins) in eggs by ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC–MS/MS). Solvent extraction, solid-phase extraction (SPE), matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) and modified QuEChERS procedure were compared in terms of recovery and number of veterinary drugs extracted. The solvent extraction procedure with a clean-up step provided better results than the other tested procedures. The QuEChERS procedure was simpler and faster, but extracted fewer compounds than solvent extraction. MSPD did not extract tetracyclines and quinolones, whereas macrolides and tetracyclines were not extracted when SPE was applied. The solvent extraction procedure was validated, obtaining recoveries ranging from 60% (sulfaquinoxaline) to 119% (levamisole) with repeatability values (expressed as relative standard deviations, RSDs) lower than 20% at two concentration levels (10 and 100 μg kg −1), except for erythromycin, emamectin and ivermectin that showed RSD values close to 25% at 10 μg kg −1. Limits of quantification (LOQs) were always equal or lower than 5 μg kg −1. Finally the method was applied to egg samples, and erythromycin, enrofloxacin, difloxacin, thiabendazole, emamectin and fenbendazole were detected in four samples.