Determination of some NSAIDs content in meat by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the most widely used group of drugs worldwide for pain relief, anti-inflammation, blood clot prevention, and fever reduction, but they can cause some side effects bad for health if used incorrectly. NSAIDs are on the list of drugs that must be monitored according to Council Directive 96/23/EC. The fact that NSAIDs are also used in animals for anti-inflammation, fever reduction, and pain relief raises concerns that animal products such as meat, eggs, and milk may be contaminated with NSAIDs, affecting human health if consumed like eating right. Therefore, developing a method to analyze NSAIDs in meat products is necessary, contributing to assessing the quality of meat products currently circulating on the market. In this study, 4 common substances in the NSAIDs group were studied and identified by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) using a Symmetry C18 chromatographic column with an ESI (+) positive electron spray ionization source and multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. The validity of the method was confirmed according to the guidelines of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC). The results showed that the method has good specificity, the linearity range from 5.0 to 100 µg/kg, the detection limit of 1.5 µg/kg, the quantification limit of 5.0 µg/kg; precision and accuracy with relative standard deviation (RSD) less than 11% and recoveries ranging from 81.1 to 111%, meeting AOAC requirements. The method was used to analyze the content of NSAIDs in 15 meat samples in Hanoi. The results showed that 7 samples showed tolfenamic acid exceeding the quantitative limit of the method.