DETERMINATION OF IVERMECTIN RESIDUES IN MEAT AND LIVER BY HPLC AND FLUOROMETRIC DETECTION

The method describes the analysis of ivermectin in meat and liver at a quantification limit of 5 mu g/kg. This level is lower than the maximum residue limit (MRL) imposed for EEC countries. The absolute detection limit was 250 pg. The recoveries ranged from 70 % to 88 %. Ivermectin was extracted by a mixture of acetonitrile and water, purified on Bond Elut C-18 Columns and converted to a fluorescent derivative using trifluoroacetic anhydride and N-methylimidazol. The analysis was performed on a liquid chromatograph fitted with a mu- Bondapak C-18 column and ivermectin was detected by fluorescence spectroscopy. The method has already been used for routine analysis.