Confirmation of levamisole residues in cattle and swine livers by capillary gas chromatography-electron impact mass spectrometry.

Capillary gas chromatography-electron impact mass spectrometry is used to confirm the presence of levamisole in cattle and swine livers at the 0.1 ppm tolerance level. Use of a fused silica capillary column from injector to detector solved chromatographic problems encountered with the analyte. Of the mass spectrometric techniques evaluated, electron impact mass spectrometry provided the most satisfactory data for a confirmatory method. Recoveries from swine and cattle livers fortified at 0.1 ppm averaged 74.9 and 72.7%, respectively, indicating potential utility of this methodology as a quantitative method. Apparent levamisole residues in control livers were less than 0.01 ppm.