Eprinomectin, moxidectin, abamectin, doramectin, and ivermectin are drugs used to control parasitic infections in both meat-producing and nonmeat-producing animals. A number of analytical methods are available to analyze these anthelmintic drugs individually. A multiresidue screening method was developed for these drugs; however, the initial attempt to derivatize eprinomectin following the method published by Merck scientists was unsuccessful because the eprinomectin derivatization reaction was temperature- and time-dependent. The optimum time and temperature for the completion of eprinomectin derivatization were 90 min and 65°C, respectively, without appreciable effect on the remaining 4 drugs. Beef liver samples were fortified with 0, 25, 50, and 100 ppb mixed standards of eprinomectin, moxidectin, abamectin, doramectin, and ivermectin. Each set of 4 levels of recoveries was repeated 10 times with all 5 compounds. The average of 10 recoveries of 5 compounds at all 4 levels of fortification was > 70%; the coefficient of variation was < 20%.

A liquid chromatographic (LC) multiresidue screening procedure was developed for determination of eprinomectin, moxidectin, abamectin, doramectin, and ivermectin in beef liver at 0, 25, 50, and 100 ppb levels. A procedure using low resolution LC/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) mass spectrometry (MS) was developed with further purification steps added to the quantitative LC method to confirm residues. Acetonitrile extracts of liver, prior to derivatization for LC analysis, were further purified by using a C8 solid-phase extraction cartridge and an alumina-B cartridge. The purified extract was analyzed by injection into an LC/positive ion APCI MS. Identity of the compound was confirmed by comparison of its retention time and relative intensity data with those of a standard or recovery from a fortified control liver sample. Anthelmintic drugs in acetonitrile extracts of liver containing eprinomectin, moxidectin, abamectin, doramectin, and ivermectin at 25 ppb, the lowest level of fortification used in the LC determinative method, were successfully confirmed.

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