Oasis PRiME HLB Cartridge for Effective Cleanup of Meat Extracts Prior to Multi-Residue Veterinary Drug UPLC-MS Analysis

Oasis PRiME HLB Cartridge for Effective Cleanup of Meat Extracts Prior to Multi-Residue Veterinary Drug UPLC-MS Analysis

Significance of the Topic

Matrices such as meat contain high levels of fats and phospholipids that can interfere with LC-MS analysis of veterinary drug residues. Effective removal of these co-extractives is critical to maintain instrument performance, ensure accurate quantitation, and reduce maintenance cycles.

Objectives and Study Overview

This study evaluates the performance of Oasis PRiME HLB Cartridges as a pass-through cleanup step for meat extracts in a multi-residue UPLC-MS/MS workflow. The aim is to compare recoveries and removal efficiency against traditional hexane defatting and C18-silica cleanup methods.

Methodology and Instrumentation

Standard pork samples (5 g, 15 percent fat) were spiked with representative veterinary drugs. Initial extraction used 80:20 acetonitrile water with formic acid, followed by centrifugation. A 0.5 mL aliquot of supernatant was directly loaded on Oasis PRiME HLB Cartridge without prior conditioning. The eluate was diluted and analyzed by UPLC-MS/MS.
Instrument and conditions

• UPLC system ACQUITY UPLC I-Class
• Column 1.7 micrometer CSH C18, 2.1 x 100 mm, held at 30 degrees Celsius
• Mobile phases water with formic acid and acetonitrile with formic acid delivered in a rapid gradient
• Detection by TQ-S mass spectrometer using electrospray ionization

Main Results and Discussion

Pass-through cleanup on Oasis PRiME HLB achieved average absolute recoveries above 80 percent for most tested drugs, matching C18-silica performance. Phenylbutazone recovery was lower at 32 percent, consistent across methods. Gravimetric and chromatographic analyses demonstrated removal of more than 90 percent of both fats and phospholipids, exceeding C18 cleanup and equaling hexane defatting efficiency without additional solvent steps.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• No cartridge conditioning or equilibration reduces hands-on time.
• High removal efficiency of fats and phospholipids yields cleaner extracts for UPLC-MS/MS.
• Maintained analyte recoveries support reliable multi-residue screening for food safety and regulatory laboratories.

Future Trends and Opportunities

Expanding use of pass-through SPE cartridges like Oasis PRiME HLB in high-throughput screening can extend to other complex food matrices. Further developments may target full automation, compatibility with a broader range of analytes, and adoption of more sustainable solvents to enhance laboratory efficiency and green chemistry goals.

Conclusion

The Oasis PRiME HLB Cartridge provides a streamlined, one-step cleanup for meat extracts, removing over 90 percent of fats and phospholipids while preserving high recoveries of veterinary drug residues. This method offers a robust alternative to conventional defatting and reversed-phase cleanup approaches.

Reference

Young MS, Tran K. Oasis PRiME HLB Cartridge for Effective Cleanup of Meat Extracts Prior to Multi-Residue Veterinary Drug UPLC-MS Analysis. Waters Corporation; 2015.