Analysis of tissues of ducks poisoned by alpha-chloralose.

A method is described for the analysis of alpha-chloralose in avian tissues. The procedure involves extraction of chloralose with acetone, drying of extracts with anyhydrous magnesium sulphate, followed by derivatisation with dichlorodimethylsilane in the presence of triethylamine. The dimethylsilyl derivatives were cleaned-up using mini-columns containing Florisil and the eluates subsequently analysed by gas chromatography. Extracts were initially screened by thin-layer chromatography and the identity of derivatised extracts confirmed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.