LC-MS/MS analysis of tetracycline antibiotics in prawns (Penaeus monodon) from south India coastal region

The aim of the present study is to analyze the presence of tetracycline antibiotics (Tetracycline (TC), Oxytetracycline (OTC), Chlortetracycline (CTC) and Doxycycline (DOC)) in prawns (Penaeus monodon) obtained from the coastal region of southern India. LC-MS/MS was used for determination of tetracycline antibiotics. Separation was carried out by gradient elution technique using mobile phase A (0.1% formic acid in water) and mobile phase B (0.1% formic acid in methanol), at a flow rate of 400 μl/min and injection volume 20 μl. The % recoveries of analyzed drugs were in between 80 and 101. The results indicated that tetracycline antibiotics were not found in most of the samples. The samples collected from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka were detected with oxytetracycline antibiotic but it was less than the maximum residual limit (MRL).