Agilent Veterinary Drugs tMRM Database

Importance of the Topic

Ensuring meat and other animal products are free from harmful veterinary drug residues is critical for consumer safety and regulatory compliance.
Triple quadrupole LC/MS systems, recognized as the gold standard for trace-level screening, deliver the sensitivity and selectivity needed, yet traditional method development can be resource and time intensive.

Study Objectives and Overview

This work presents the Agilent Veterinary Drugs triggered-MRM (tMRM) Database as a streamlined solution for targeted screening and quantitation of hundreds of veterinary drugs in a single LC/MS run.
The database, containing over 650 compounds with optimized transitions and parameters, integrates with Agilent triple quadrupole LC/MS platforms to accelerate method creation and ensure reliable confirmation of residues.

Methodology and Instrumentation

The curated tMRM database includes:

• Compound identifiers, CAS numbers, formulas, and neutral masses
• Up to 10 MRM transitions per compound with optimized fragmentor voltages and collision energies
• Retention times, windows, and trigger parameters for tMRM methods

Methods supported: standard MRM for rapid screening, dynamic MRM (dMRM) for enhanced dwell time and sensitivity, and triggered MRM (tMRM) for added selectivity in complex matrices.
The recommended instrumentation comprises Agilent 1290 Infinity II LC coupled to a 6400 Series Triple Quadrupole LC/MS with MassHunter data acquisition and analysis software.

Key Results and Discussion

Application of the tMRM database enabled the detection and confirmation of over 130 veterinary drugs in a 15-minute chromatographic run, achieving low-level quantitation and robust specificity.
Dynamic MRM extended sensitivity by allocating dwell time to analytes within retention windows, while triggered transitions improved discrimination of isobaric or matrix-interfered compounds.
Custom reference libraries built from acquired data supported confident identification of borderline residues via library matching.

Benefits and Practical Applications of the Method

The tMRM database approach reduces method development time, simplifies multi-residue screening, and ensures regulatory compliance through standardized parameters.
It adapts to various drug classes—including antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, pesticides, and more—and supports fast turnaround in QA/QC and food safety laboratories.

Future Trends and Potential Applications

Ongoing updates to the database will expand compound coverage and integrate emerging veterinary drug analytes.
Advances in software automation, AI-driven data analysis, and real-time library matching are expected to further streamline workflows and enhance detection confidence.
Customization options and consulting services can evolve to support novel matrices and regulatory requirements.

Conclusion

The Agilent Veterinary Drugs tMRM Database offers a comprehensive, validated tool for rapid method deployment in targeted screening of veterinary drug residues.
Combined with Agilent triple quadrupole LC/MS platforms, it elevates data quality, accelerates analytical workflows, and strengthens assurance of food safety.

References

Agilent Technologies Application Note 5991-7063EN (2016).