This document introduces an LC/MS method for monitoring several coumarin rodenticides in complex matrices.
Rodents pose significant risks by destroying food supplies and acting as vectors for human diseases. While trapping is an option, rodenticides are frequently used; however, many of these poisons are also toxic to humans and domesticated animals. This document details the development of a Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC/MS) method specifically designed to monitor several coumarin rodenticides within complex biological matrices.
The study utilized an Agilent 1100 Series LC/MSD system equipped with electrospray ionization (ESI) and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) sources. The authors optimized conditions such as ionization mode, polarity, and fragmentor voltage to effectively analyze three specific coumarin rodenticides: difenacoum, coumatetralyl, and coumafuryl. The method was validated using spiked sausage extract and dog stomach extract, demonstrating the capability to detect these anticoagulant poisons at low concentrations.
| Column | 150 x 2.1 mm Zorbax XDB-C18, 5 um |
|---|---|
| Mobile Phase A | 2mM ammonium acetate in water |
| Mobile Phase B | methanol |
| Flow Rate | 0.4 ml/min (0-2 min), 0.5 ml/min thereafter |
ESI negative mode was selected because it showed better response than positive mode ESI and APCI for the target compounds.
The method's performance was tested using spiked sausage extract and dog stomach extract.