Application of ion-exchange cartridge clean-up in food analysis: IV. Confirmatory assay of benzylpenicillin, phenoxymethylpenicillin, oxacillin, cloxacillin, nafcillin and dicloxacillin in bovine tissues by liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

A multiresidue analytical method was developed for the confirmation of benzylpenicillin (PCG), phenoxymethylpenicillin (PCV), oxacillin (MPIPC), cloxacillin (MCIPC), nafcillin (NFPC) and dicloxacillin (MDIPC) in bovine tissues using electrospray ionization liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–ESI-MS–MS) with a product ion scan mode. All penicillins gave [M−H] −, [M−H−CO 2] − and [M−H−141] − as the product ion, when [M−H] − was selected as the precursor ion. Combination of an ion-exchange cartridge clean-up and the LC–ESI-MS–MS method can reliably identify all of these penicillins fortified at a concentration of 0.05 mg/kg in bovine tissues, including liver, kidney and muscle. The limits of confirmation satisfy the maximum residue limits for each of the penicillins established by the World Health Organization, US Food and Drug Administration, European Union and Japan.