Eco-friendly and Cleaner Process Using Online Microwave-assisted Steam Extraction Coupled with Solid-phase Extraction for Trace Analysis of Sulfonamides in Animal Feed

An environmentally friendly method for extracting sulfonamides(SAs) residues from animal feed was described and applied. The method used online microwave-assisted steam extraction coupled with solid phase extraction(MASE-SPE), which was followed by the analysis using high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry(HPLC-MS/MS). The SAs residues were extracted successively with water steam under microwave irradiation, and thus directly introduced into an SPE column containing cation-exchange resin. The SAs were then eluted with methanol-ammonia(90:10, volume ratio) from the SPE column and followed by HPLC-MS/MS. The limits of detection(LODs) for the analytes ranged from 0.24 ng/g to 0.49 ng/g. The limits of quantification(LOQs) ranged from 0.82 ng/g to 1.63 ng/g. Average recoveries of SAs were 76.3%-92.1%. The developed method was a reliable and environmentally friendly alternative to previous methods with respect to time, solvent and labor consumption for the analysis of SAs in animal foodstuffs.