Procedure for the gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric confirmation of some exogenous growth-promoting compounds in the urine of cattle.

As gas chromatography-mass spectrometry is the most conclusive confirmation technique available today for the detection of ppb levels of anabolics in the urine of cattle, the following procedure was used. The urine is hydrolysed with Helix pomatia intestinal juice, extracted, and the extract cleaned by gel-permeation chromatography or with Extrelut. In one fraction are eluted diethylstilboestrol, dienoestrol, hexoestrol, methyltestosterone, ethinyloestradiol, zeranol and trenbolone. This fraction is injected into a two-dimensional high-performance liquid chromatography system. From the first column, the fraction containing the above-mentioned compounds is transferred to the second column, where a separation into two fractions is obtained. The first fraction contains zeranol and trenbolone, the second fraction the stilbenes, methyltestosterone and ethinyloestradiol. In general, the compounds are derivatized with an N,O-bis (trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide-trimethylchlorosilane mixture to a trimethylsilyl derivative. With stilbene, confirmatory derivatization into heptafluorobutyryl derivatives is necessary. In combination with a Finnigan 4000/INCOS system, a CP-Sil-5 CB and a CP-Sil-19 CB capillary are used for final confirmation. Two capillaries with different polarities are necessary to overcome problems with possible interferences from compounds extracted from the urine. Recoveries at the ppb level are better than 80%.