Occurrence and risk assessment of tetracycline residues in poultry meat of Dhaka, Bangladesh: A sensitive and reliable analytical method development approach

• A novel QuEChERS based d-SPE cleanup method for TCs determination in poultry • Simultaneously four TCs were detected in simple method • TCs residues was detected at low levels in poultry • Low TCs residues in poultry pose no significant health risk This study presented a modified method for quantifying tetracycline antibiotics (tetracycline, oxytetracycline, chlortetracycline, and doxycycline) in poultry meat based on the analysis of 40 poultry samples collected from local markets in Bangladesh. The method employed liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) with methanol extraction and optimized dispersive solid phase extraction (d-SPE) cleanup (using C18, GCB, and PSA). Matrix-matched calibration curves (r² ≥ 0.997) and validation at 10, 50, and 100 µg/kg spiking levels yielded recoveries of 82.6-116.5% with RSDs ≤ 8.9%. The method achieved low LODs (1.67-3.33 µg/kg) and LOQs (5-10 µg/kg). The results from the analysis of 40 poultry samples revealed that 55% were contamination with tetracycline residues (7.60–144.98 µg/kg), with oxytetracycline being the most prevalent. Hazard indices (HIs) indicated negligible health risks, although liver samples posed higher risks. The findings support regulatory measures to control antibiotic use in poultry farming in Bangladesh.