Multiresidue analysis of anabolic compounds in bovine hair by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

A rapid and specific multiresidue method was developed to perform screening and confirmation of 15 anabolics steroids in bovine hair, namely: dienestrol, DES, hexestrol, 17α- and 17β-estradiol, 17α- and 17β-19-nortestosterone, 17α- and 17β-boldenone, testosterone (β) and epitestosterone (α), ethynylestradiol, α-methyltestosterone, and α- and β-Zearalanol.After methanolic and solid-phase extraction, trimethylsilyl derivatization (TMS) was performed and the derivatized extracts submitted to GC-MS-MS analysis. TMS derivatives of the studied hormones yielded specific MS-MS fragmentation with a high abundance for ions selected in the screening procedure.Validation was performed regarding qualitative parameters: decision limit (CCα), detection capability (CCβ) and specificity. For confirmation, European union criteria 2002/657/EC were considered. Detection capability ranged between 1.0 and 10.0 ng g⁻¹ depending on the compound.