Analysis of tilmicosin in swine liver extracts by liquid chromatography/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry

Abstract

Tilmicosin is a semisynthetic macrolide antibiotic used in the treatment of respiratory disease in cattle and swine. The technique of liquid chromatography/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry (LC/APCI‐MS) was employed in an on‐line capacity for the analysis of tilmicosin in extracts from spiked swine liver. Increasing the potential in the cone/skimmer region of the ion source resulted in an increased abundance of unique structurally indicating fragment ions of tilmicosin. Three ions, [M + H]⁺ and two diagnostic fragment ions were chosen for confirmation of the presence of tilmicosin in swine liver tissue extracts using the mass spectrometer in selected‐ion monitoring mode. The ion abundance ratios arising from any given combination of ions in data acquired from extracts of swine liver tissue spiked with tilmicosin at 5 and 10 ppm were within <10% of the corresponding mean standard abundance ratio, and duplicate sample analyses exhibited < 10% relative standard deviation. These results suggest the potential for the application of LC/APCI‐MS as a confirmatory technique for tilmicosin in swine liver.