Analysis of Ochratoxin a in Pig Tissues Using High Pressure Liquid Chromatography (hplc) and Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry (lc/ms/ms) as Confirmative Methods

Two different analytical methods for the determination and confirmation of ochratoxin A (OTA) in blood serum, kidney and liver of pigs have been compared. Sample clean-up was based on liquid-liquid phase extraction. The detection of OTA was accomplished with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) combined either with fluorescence detection (FL) or electro spray ionization (ESI+) tandem mass spectrometry (MS-MS). Comparative method evaluation was based on the investigation of 82 samples of blood serum, kidney and liver originating from different regions of Serbia. The analytical results are discussed in view of the respective method validation data and the corresponding experimental protocols. In general, analytical data obtained with LC-MS-MS detection offered comparably good results in the sub-ppb concentration level indicating that the liquid chromatography electro spray tandem mass spectrometric (LC-MS/MS) method was more specific and sensitive for the analysis and confirmation of ochratoxin A in pig tissues than high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) method after methylation of OTA.