Determination of the residues of 50 anabolic hormones in muscle, milk and liver by very-high-pressure liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

A sensitive and specific method for determination of the residues of 50 anabolic hormones in muscle (pork, beef, shrimp), milk and pig liver was developed. Analytes were separated and acquired by liquid chromatography coupled with an electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometer (LC–ESI–MS/MS). Target compounds were simultaneously extracted with methanol after enzyme hydrolysis, and purified using a graphitized carbon-black solid-phase extraction (SPE) and followed by NH2 SPE cartridge. Limits of quantification were 0.04–2.0 μg kg−1; average recoveries were 76.9–121.3%; and the relative standard deviation was 2.4–21.2%. This method has been successfully applied in real samples.