Determination of apramycin in animal feeds by solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography with precolumn derivatization and fluorescence detection.

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method for determining apramycin in animal feeds was developed. Apramycin in feeds was extracted with 0.1 M HCl solution and cleaned up with an MCX solid-phase extraction column. The purified extract was derivatized with o-phthaldehyde, and components were separated on a C18 column and detected with a fluorescence detector. Mass spectrometric data confirmed that apramycin was derivatized at all the 4 primary amines on the apramycin molecule. Average recoveries at 8 included levels (5, 10, 20, 40, 80, 200, 400, and 2000 mg/kg) ranged from 92.2 to 100.5%, and the coefficients of variation were < 6.5%. Standard curves were linear over the range 0.05 to 10 microg/mL. The detection and quantitation limits were determined to be 0.2 and 1.0 mg/kg, respectively.