Determination of embutramide and pentobarbital in meat and bone meal by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

An analytical procedure, consisting of multiple steps, was developed for the analysis of meat and bone meal for two veterinary drugs, embutramide and pentobarbital, used for euthanasia. After a combined extraction, embutramide was converted to its trimethylsilylether derivative and pentobarbital was methylated. Both analytes were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in the electron impact or chemical ionisation mode. Limits of determination and identification were between 50 and 100 micrograms kg-1 depending on the compound and the ionisation technique applied. Particular attention was focused on the identification of the analytes.