Sample Preparation of Eggs From Laying Hens Using QuEChERS Dispersive Extraction for the Simultaneous Determination of Melamine and Cyromazine Residues by HPLC-DAD

Abstract

A quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) dispersive extraction method is proposed herein for the isolation and cleanup of melamine and cyromazine from chicken egg yolk. Analytes are determined by high-performance liquid chromatography using photodiode array detector after separation on a LiChroCART® (250 × 4 mm)—LiChrospher® RP-8e, 5 μm analytical column using a mobile phase of 0.1% trifluoracetic acid and methanol (80:20 v/v) delivered isocratically at a flow rate of 1 mL/minute. Extraction of isolated compounds was achieved by methanol and acetonitrile mixture (1:1 v/v). Recovery rates ranged between 74.5% and 115.8%. The method was validated in terms of 657/2002/EC decision. The within-laboratory reproducibility, expressed as a relative standard deviation, was <11%. Decision limits (CCalfa) were 2.56 mg/kg for melamine and 0.22 mg/kg−1 for cyromazine, and the corresponding results for detection capability (CCbeta) were 2.8 mg/kg for melamine and 0.24 mg/kg for cyromazine. Ruggedness was estimated according to the Youden approach studying egg yolk mass, sorbent mass, centrifugation time, organic solvents volume, evaporation temperature, and vortex time.