固相萃取-高效液相色谱法同时测定传统禽肉制品中的9种杂环胺类化合物

建立了固相萃取-高效液相色谱同时测定传统禽肉制品中9种杂环胺类化合物(HAAs)(包括2-氨基-3-甲基咪唑并［4,5-f］喹啉、2-氨基-3,4-二甲基咪唑并［4,5-f］喹啉、2-氨基-3,8-二甲基咪唑并［4,5-f］喹喔啉、2-氨基-3,4,8-三甲基咪唑并［4,5-f］喹喔啉、2-氨基-1-甲基-6-苯基-咪唑并［4,5-b］吡啶、3-氨基-1-甲基-5H-吡啶并［4,3-b］吲哚、3-氨基-1,4-二甲基-5H-吡啶并［4,3-b］吲哚、9H-吡啶并［4,3-b］吲哚、1-甲基-9H-吡啶并［4,3-b］吲哚)含量的分析方法。经过条件优化,肉样选用乙酸乙酯进行提取,提取液经丙基磺酸(PRS)和C18固相萃取小柱净化,采用TSK-gel ODS-80TM色谱柱,以乙腈和0.05 mol/L醋酸-醋酸铵缓冲液(pH 3.4)为流动相进行梯度洗脱分离,紫外-荧光检测器串联方式对目标化合物进行检测。通过波长扫描,确定紫外检测波长为263 nm,荧光激发波长/发射波长随时间切换程序为: 0～21 min, 300 nm/440 nm; 21～23.8 min, 315 nm/410 nm; 23.8～35 min, 265 nm/410 nm。在上述条件下,9种HAAs在35 min内实现基线分离。3个加标水平的平均回收率为60.47%～90.55%(n=6),相对标准偏差(RSD)为0.49%～9.74%(n=6),检出限(以信噪比为3计)为0.1～3.6 μg/kg。该方法简便快速、结果准确、灵敏度高,可作为测定传统禽肉制品中多种杂环胺类化合物的有效方法。     

Porous boronate affinity monolith for on-line extraction coupled to high-performance liquid chromatography for sensitive analysis of heterocyclic aromatic amines in food samples

A novel on-line solid-phase microextraction–high-performance liquid chromatography(SPME–HPLC)system was developed for the determination of heterocyclic aromatic amines(HAAs) in food samples. A poly(vinylphenylboronic acid-co-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) polymer monolith was prepared for on-line efficient extraction and large-volume injection was used to increase the sensitivity of detection.The polymermonolith, based on a ternary porogen, was prepared by in situ polymerization of vinylphenylboronic acid(VPBA) and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate(EGDMA) in a fused-silica capillary column. It showed good permeability, high extraction capacity, and high selectivity. The column-tocolumn reproducibility was satisfactory, and the enrichment factors for HAAs were 3746–7414.Conditions influencing the on-line extraction efficiency, including p H of sample solutions, flow rate of extraction and desorption, and desorption volume, were investigated. The proposed method had low limit of detection(0.10–0.15 ng/L) and good linearity. Trace HAAs in roast beef and lamb samples were determined, and the amounts of 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline, 2-amino-3,4-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline, 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline, 2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline, and 2-amino-3,4,7,8-tetramethyl-3H-imidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline in these samples were 0.235–2.08 ng/g. The recoveries for the five HAAs ranged from74.3% to 119%, and the relative standard deviation(RSDs) were less than 8.2%. The results showed that the proposed on-line method was highly sensitive for monitoring HAAs in different food samples.     

固相萃取-高效液相色谱法同时测定羊肉制品中9种杂环胺

建立了同时测定羊肉制品中9种杂环胺的固相萃取-高效液相色谱(SPE-HPLC)分析方法。样品经2 mol/L NaOH超声提取、80 mL二氯甲烷液-液萃取,利用阳离子交换柱(MCX柱)净化和富集后进行HPLC分析。采用反相C18色谱柱,以乙腈和0.01 mol/L磷酸溶液(用三乙胺调整pH 3.6)为流动相对杂环胺进行梯度洗脱,使用二极管阵列检测器(DAD)分别在228 nm(2-氨基-9H-吡啶并［2,3-b］吲哚(AaC)、2-氨基-3-甲基-9H-吡啶并［2,3-b］吲哚(MeAaC))、253 nm(2-氨基-3-甲基咪唑并［4,5-f］喹啉(IQ)、1-甲基-9H-吡啶并［3,4-b］吲哚(Harman)、2-9H-吡啶并［3,4-b］吲哚(Norharman))、263 nm(2-氨基-3,8-二甲基咪唑并［4,5-f］喹喔啉(MeIQx)、2-氨基-3,4,8-三甲基咪唑并［4,5-f］喹喔啉(4,8-DiMeIQx)、3-氨基-1-甲基-5H-吡啶并［4,3-b］吲哚(Trp-p-2))、321 nm(2-氨基-1-甲基-6-苯基咪唑并［4,5-b］吡啶(PhIP))处进行检测。实验结果表明,9种杂环胺分离效果良好,回收率为50.27%～94.77%(n=6),相对标准偏差为0.08%～4.42%;通过全波长扫描,确定检出限(以信噪比(S/N)=3计)为1.6～41.0 μg/L。该方法操作简单,结果准确,重现性好,可用于同时检测羊肉制品中9种杂环胺的含量。     

GC/MS determination of the mutagenic heterocyclic amines MeIQx and DiMeIQx in cooking fumes

Summary 2-Amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx), 2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (4,8-DiMeIQx) and 2-amino-3,7,8-trimethylimidazo-[4,5-f]quinoxaline (7,8-DiMeIQx) are heterocyclic aromatic amines formed during cooking of meat. The release of these mutagenic and possibly carcinogenic compounds into the ambient air was investigated. Minced beef/pork (1440 g) was fried at 210°C in a cast-iron frying pan. The cooking fumes were led through a glass funnel into a sampler which consisted of two glass fibre filters and an XAD-2 sorbent tube. MeIQx and DiMeIQx were analysed as 3,5-bistrifluoromethylbenzyl derivatives by GC/MS using electron ionisation in selected ion monitoring mode. The results showed that MeIQx and DiMeIQx are volatilised during frying. 0.014 ng/g of MeIQx and 0.007 ng/g of DiMeIQx were found on the filters and the sorbent tube in an air sample of 721. The proportions of 4,8- and 7,8-isomers of DiMeIQx were not determined. The method proved to be sufficiently sensitive (detection limit 0.1 ng/sample for MeIQx) and specific for workplace measurements.     

Quantitation of mutagenic/carcinogenic heterocyclic aromatic amines in food products.

A method for screening genotoxic heterocyclic aromatic amines in cooked foods using solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet and fluorescence detection is described. Solid-phase extraction includes basic extraction on diatomaceous earth (Extrelut) and subsequent purification on propylsulphonic acid silica gel. This convenient procedure separates the analytes into a polar group and an apolar group. We have identified the following components in the two groups. The polar group contains aminoimidazoazaarenes i.e. 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline, 2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline, 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline, 2-amino-3,4-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline, 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo-[4,5-b]pyridine, and glutamic acid pyrolysates, i.e. 2-amino-6-methyldipyrido[1,2-a:3',2'-d]imidazole and 2-aminodipyrido[1,2-a:3',2'-d]-imidazole. The apolar group consists of five carbolines: 3-amino-1,4-dimethyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole, 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole, 2-amino-9H-pyrido[2,3-b]indole, 9H-pyrido[3,4-b]indole and 1-methyl-9H-pyrido[3,4-b]indole. The extraction efficiencies range from 45 to 90%, and the detection limits are in the low nanogram per gram range. The method was applied to the analysis of heterocyclic aromatic amines in pan-fried, oven-cooked and barbecued salmon.     

Mass spectrometric investigation of the sequence selectivity for adduction of heterocyclic aromatic amines on single-strand oligonucleotides

Heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) generated during the cooking of meats are known to be genotoxic substances able to form covalent bonds with DNA bases after metabolic activation. This work aimed at the investigation of the influence of the local environment of nucleobases along the nucleotidic sequence on its modification induced by two different HAAs, namely 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) and 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ), in order to identify possible sequences more susceptible to modification. A systematic study of the neighbouring base effect on the adduction was emphasized. Thus, PhIP and IQ adducts have been synthesized with various T-rich model single-strand oligonucleotides displaying different flanking bases (A, G, C or T) at the 3' or the 5' side of the targeted guanine, which allowed a comparison of the flanking base effects on adduction. Modified oligonucleotides were then analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The localization of the modifications induced by PhIP or IQ along the oligonucleotide sequence was achieved by tandem mass spectrometry, and modification yields of the various model sequences were compared. Results indicate a favouring sequence context effect on the G-C8-IQ adduct formation with the sequence 5'GGG3'. Although higher than IQ, modification yields observed with PhIP showed a less obvious effect of the neighbouring base on the G-C8-PhIP adduct formation, with a preferential sequence 5'GGA/G/T3'.     

Determination of heterocyclic amines in urine samples by capillary liquid chromatography with evaporated light-scattering detection

A rapid and simple method for separation and detection of six heterocyclic aromatic amines (2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo [4,5-b]-pyridine, 2-amino-1-methyl-imidazo [4,5-f]-quinoline, 2-amino-3,8-dimethyl-imidazo [4,5-f]-quinoxaline, 2-amino-3,7,8-trimethyl-imidazo [4,5-f]-quinoxaline, 2-amino-3,4,8-trimethyl-imidazo [4,5-f]-quinoxaline, and 2-amino-3,4-dimethyl-imidazo [4,5-f]-quinoline) in human urine samples is proposed to reflect daily intake and recent HAAs exposure. This method comprises previous clean-up and preconcentration of the analytes on Strata-X reversed phase extraction cartridges followed by capillary liquid chromatography (CLC) and evaporative light-scattering detection (ELSD). A mobile phase of acetonitrile and ammonium acetate 35 mM at pH 5.15 through a gradient of composition and a flow rate of 15 μL min⁻¹ resulted in good separations of the analytes. Temperature and gas pressure were optimized for detection. The CLC-ELSD allows the separation and quantification of HAAs with good resolution, precision, and sensitivity. The usefulness of the proposed method was demonstrated by the analysis of synthetic and natural human urine samples spiked with different concentration levels of heterocyclic amines.     

Synthesis of condensed quinoxalines

A novel efficient synthesis of fluorescent, fused quinoxalines was achieved. 6-Triazolylthiazolo[4,5-b]quinoxalines were synthesized by the diazotisation of 6-amino-2-methylthiazolo[4,5-b]quinoxaline and coupling with selected aromatic amines followed by air oxidation. Diazotised aryl amines were coupled with 6-amino-2-methylthiazolo[4,5-d]quinoxaline followed by subsequent air oxidation afforded 1,2,3-triazolo[5,4-f]quinoxalino[2,3-d]thiazoles. 6-Amino-2-methylthiazolo[4,5-b]quinoxaline was condensed with conjugated enol ethers followed by cyclization in dowtherm resulted in thiazolo[4,5-b]quinoxalino[6,5-b]pyridine.     

Heterocycles containing nitrogen and sulfur. Part 49. Synthesis of derivatives of new heterocyclic systems: 1,2-Dioxocyclopenta(hexa)[g]oxazolidino-[3,2-f] pyrimido[4,5-b][1,4]thiazine, 1,2-dioxocyclopenta(hexa)-[g] imidazolidino[3,2-f]pyrimido[4,5-b][1,4]thiazine, and 1,2-oxazino[5,4-g]pyrimidino[4,5-b][1,4]thiazine

The reaction of 4-methoxy-5-amino-6-mercaptopyrimidine with 2-oxo-1-chlorocyclopentyl(hexyl)glyoxalate esters gave derivatives of the previously unknown tetracyclic systems 1,2-dioxocyclopenta (hexa)[g]oxazolidino[3,2-f]pyrimido[4,5-b][1,4]thiazines, which are transformed by ammonium acetate into derivatives of 1,2-dioxocyclopenta(hexa) [g]imidazolidino[3,2-f]pyrimido[4,5-b]-[1,4] thiazines. Derivatives of the new tricyclic 1-oxazino [5,4-g]pyrimido[4,5-b][1,4]thiazine system were obrtained by reaction of 6-carbethoxy-7-acetylpyrimido [4,5-b] [1,4] thiazines with hydroxylamine.     

Determination of heterocyclic aromatic amines by capillary high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection in ready-to-eat cooked ham treated with electron-beam irradiation

Heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAs) are a group of mutagenic and carcinogenic substances present in significant amounts in cooked meat and fish that can potentially be formed during food processing operations. This paper proposes a capillary liquid chromatography method with diode array detection for the trace-level determination of three HAs, namely, MeIQx (2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline), norharman (9H-pyrido[3,4-b]indole) and harman (1-methyl-9H-pyrido[3,4-b]indole), in ready-to-eat (RTE) cooked ham processed by electron-beam (accelerated electrons) irradiation to eliminate pathogenic microorganisms and to extend its shelf-life. The HAs selected have frequently been detected and quantified in a wide range of food and could be potential markers to indicate the presence of these toxic compounds. The method is based on the separation in an Inertsil C(8) capillary column (150 mm x 0.3-mm internal diameter, 3 microm) by gradient elution mode using a mixture of acetonitrile and 30 mM ammonium acetate pH 4.5 buffer as the mobile phase. Detection was at 250 and 265 nm and, to improve sensitivity, large injection volumes (20 microL) and on-column focusing techniques based on the injection of HA samples in low organic solvent strength solutions were employed. A simple and short solid-phase extraction and purification procedure was also optimized for sample preparation. Nonirradiated and irradiated RTE cooked ham samples at doses between 1 and 8 kGy were analyzed. HAs were not detected in any of the samples analyzed; so both types of samples were spiked at concentration levels in the range 5-25 ng g(-1), which may be found in meat products. The quality parameters of the method developed in the food matrix were established, and detection limits around 0.3 ng g(-1) were obtained. Spiked recoveries between 70 and 79% (n = 3 for each spiked level) relative standard deviations between 1 and 5% were also obtained, showing the effectiveness of the proposed method.     

3-Amino-2-quinoxalinecarbonitrile. New fused quinoxalines with potential cytotoxic activity

Starting with 3-amino-2-quinoxalinecarbonitrile 1,4-dioxide 1 , a new series of quinoxaline derivatives was prepared through chemical modifications of the 2-cyano and 3-amino groups. Nitration of 3-amino-2-quin-oxalinecarbonitrile 3 afforded the 7-nitro derivative 6 . Diazotation of 3 gave the 3-chloro compound 9 . 2,3-Quinoxalinedicarbonitrile 14 was obtained from 9 . Pyridazino[4,5-b]quinoxalines 15 and 16 were prepared by condensing 14 with hydrazine hydrate. A triazolo[4,5-b]quinoxaline 18 , a isothiazolo[4,5-b]quinoxaline 20 and two pyrazolo[3,4-b]quinoxalines 21 and 22 were identified. Compounds were tested as cytotoxic agents both in oxic and in hypoxic cells.     

Synthesis of the C8-deoxyguanosine adduct of the food mutagen IQ

[structure: see text] The C8-2'-deoxyguanosine adduct of the food mutagen 2-amino-3-methylimadazo[4,5-f]-quinoline (IQ) has been synthesized. The key step is a palladium-catalyzed N-arylation of a suitably protected 8-bromo-2'-deoxyguanosine derivative.     

Reaction of azole condensed quinoxaline N-oxides with acetic anhydride

The reaction of 7-chlorotetrazolo[1,5-α]quinoxaline 5-oxide 6a with acetic anhydride gave 7-chloro-5-(7-chlorotetrazolo[1,5-α]quinoxalin-4-yl)-4,5-dihydro-4-oxotetrazolo[1,5-α]quinoxaline 7a , while the reaction of 7-chloro-1,2,4-triazolo[4,3-α]quinoxaline 5-oxide 6b with acetic anhydride afforded 7-chloro-5-(7-chloro-1,2,4-triazolo[4,3-α]quinoxalin-4-yl)-4,5-dihydro-4-oxo-1,2,4-triazolo[4,3-α]quinoxaline 7b and 7-chloro-4,5-dihydro-4-oxo-1,2,4-triazolo[4,3-α]quinoxaline 8b . The reaction of compound 6a or 6b with acetic anhydride/acetic acid provided 7-chloro-4,5-dihydro-4-oxo-tetrazolo[1,5-α]quinoxaline 8a or compound 8b , respectively.     

Synthesis of the N2-deoxyguanosine adduct of the potent dietary mutagen IQ

[structure: see text] After bioactivation, the potent dietary mutagen 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]-quinoline (IQ) reacts with DNA to give two regioisomeric adducts of deoxyguanosine. The synthesis of the minor N2-adduct has been achieved utilizing the Buchwald-Hartwig palladium-catalyzed N-arylation reaction as the key step.     

Development and validation of a liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry method for mebendazole and its metabolites hydroxymebendazole and aminomebendazole in sheep liver

A quantitative liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry method for the determination of mebendazole and its hydrolysed and reduced metabolites in sheep liver has been developed and validated. The benzimidazole substances were extracted with ethyl acetate after the sample mixture had been made alkaline. The HPLC separation was performed on a reversed-phase C18 column with gradient elution using a mobile phase consisting of water containing 0.1% formic acid and acetonitrile. The analytes were detected after atmospheric pressure electrospray ionization on a tandem quadrupole mass spectrometer in MS-MS mode. The components were measured by the MS-MS transitions of the molecular ion to the two most abundant daughter ions. The detection limits are lower than 1 microg kg(-1). For this application, the validation limit was set at 50 microg kg(-1). The examined validation parameters were in accordance with the permitted tolerances ranges stipulated in the proposed new European validation criteria for residue surveillance. For the three analytes, the overall recovery was higher than 90%. The RSD for the repeatability ranged from 5 to 11%. The range for the within-laboratory reproducibility was between 2 and 17%. The decision limits for mebendazole, the hydrolysed and the reduced metabolite were 56.6, 61.8 and 64.2 microg kg(-1), respectively. The detection capabilities for these substances were 60.0, 86.1 and 90.9 microg kg(-1), respectively.     

Application of liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry to the detection of 10 sulfonamides in honey

Liquid chromatography (LC) in combination with tandem mass spectrometry (MS-MS) has been applied to the separation and detection of 10 different sulfonamides in honey. The methodology encompasses a simple hydrolysis of the honey sample to liberate sugar-bound sulfonamides followed by liquid-liquid extraction of the 10 analytes, filtration, and analysis by LC-MS-MS. Conditions for reversed-phase LC and electrospray ionization (ESI) MS-MS in the positive ion mode were optimized for the 10 compounds under study, monitoring two characteristic mass transitions simultaneously for each analyte. The procedure is a qualitative confirmatory method for 10 sulfonamides at the low microg/kg level in honey. Typical recoveries of the analytes in honey ranged from 44 to 73% at a fortification level of 50 microg/kg. This study also addresses the issue of matrix-induced suppression of ionization, an effect often encountered in trace residue analysis of food matrices using LC-ESI-MS-MS based methods.     

Synthesis and characterization of [1,2,5]chalcogenazolo[3,4-f]benzo[1,2,3]triazole and [1,2,3]triazolo[3,4-g]quinoxaline derivatives

The synthesis and characterization is reported of low bandgap [1,2,5]chalcogenazolo[3,4-f]benzo[1,2,3]triazole and [1,2,3]triazolo[3,4-g]quinoxaline derivatives that display higher solubility and stability then their thiadiazole counterparts, [1,2,5]chalcogenazolo[3,4-f]benzo[2,1,3]thiadiazole and [1,2,5]thiadiazolo[3,4-g]quinoxaline, respectively.     

Pressure-assisted electrokinetic injection for on-line enrichment in capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry: a sensitive method for measurement of ten haloacetic acids in drinking water

Haloacetic acids (HAAs) are by-products of the chlorination of drinking water containing natural organic matter and bromide. A simple and sensitive method has been developed for determination of ten HAAs in drinking water. The pressure-assisted electrokinetic injection (PAEKI), an on-line enrichment technique, was employed to introduce the sample into a capillary electrophoresis (CE)–electrospray ionization–tandem mass spectrometry system (ESI-MS/MS). HAAs were monitored in selected reaction monitoring mode. With 3 min of PAEKI time, the ten major HAAs (HAA10) in drinking water were enriched up to 20,000-fold into the capillary without compromising resolution. A simple solid phase clean-up method has been developed to eliminate the influence of ionic matrices from drinking water on PAEKI. Under conditions optimized for mass spectrometry, PAEKI and capillary electrophoresis, detection limits defined as three times ratio of signal to noise have been achieved in a range of 0.013–0.12 μg L⁻¹ for ten HAAs in water sample. The overall recoveries for all ten HAAs in drinking water samples were between 76 and 125%. Six HAAs including monochloro- (MCAA), dichloro- (DCAA), trichloro- (TCAA), monobromo- (MBAA), bromochloro- (BCAA), and bromodichloroacetic acids (BDCAA) were found in tap water samples collected.     

Nucleic acid intercalators and avidin probes derived from luminescent cyclometalated iridium(III)-dipyridoquinoxaline and -dipyridophenazine complexes

Six luminescent cyclometalated iridium(III)-dipyridoquinoxaline and -dipyridophenazine complexes [Ir(ppy)2(N-N)](PF6) (Hppy = 2-phenylpyridine; N-N = dipyrido[3,2-f:2',3'-h]quinoxaline, dpq (1); 2-n-butylamidodipyrido[3,2-f:2',3'-h]quinoxaline, dpqa (2); 2-((2-biotinamido)ethyl)amidodipyrido[3,2-f:2',3'-h]quinoxaline, dpqB (3); dipyrido[3,2-a:2',3'-c]phenazine, dppz (4); benzo[i]dipyrido[3,2-a:2',3'-c]phenazine, dppn (5); 11-((2-biotinamido)ethyl)amidodipyrido[3,2-a:2',3'-c]phenazine, dppzB (6)) have been designed as luminescent intercalators for DNA and probes for avidin. The structure of complex 4 has been studied by X-ray crystallography. The photophysical and electrochemical properties of the complexes have also been investigated. The binding of these complexes to double-stranded calf thymus DNA and synthetic double-stranded oligonucleotides poly(dA) x poly(dT) and poly(dG) x poly(dC) has been investigated by spectroscopic titrations. The interactions between the two biotin-containing complexes and avidin have been studied by 4'-hydroxyazobenzene-2-carboxylic acid (HABA) assays and emission titrations.     

Application of ion-exchange cartridge clean-up in food analysis. VI. Determination of six penicillins in bovine tissues by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

A multiresidue analytical method was developed for the quantification of benzylpenicillin (PCG), phenoxymethylpenicillin (PCV), oxacillin (MPIPC), cloxacillin (MCIPC), nafcillin (NFPC) and dicloxacillin (MDIPC) in bovine tissues using liquid chromatography- electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI MS/MS) with a multiple reaction monitoring technique. Using the deuterated PCG and NFPC as internal standard was effective for improvement of repeatability and accuracy. We chose [M-H-141]- as a monitor ion of MRM analysis and [M-H]- as a precursor ion for each penicillin. Combination of an ion-exchange cartridge clean-up and ion-pair LC enable us to determine the residual penicillins using the standard curves made from standard solutions without the influence of sample matrix on the MS. The average recoveries of PCG, PCV, MPIPC, MCIPC, NFPC and MDIPC from bovine liver, kidney and muscle at the same concentrations as the tolerance levels of PCG (50 microg/kg) ranged from 77 to 101% with the coefficients of variation ranging from 0.7 to 4.2% (n = 5). The limits of quantification for the six penicillins were 2-10 microg/kg in bovine muscle, liver and kidney (S/N ratio >10).