ALMA EMIRI*, ELTON MYFTARI1, SONILA ÇOÇOLI2, ENTELA TRESKA3
* University of Tirana, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Chemistry Department, Bulevardi Zogu I, Tirana, Albania.
1 Scientific Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University, Rr:” Dibra”, Nr. 371, Tirana, Albania.
2Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Agricultural University of Tirana. Tirana, Albania
.3University Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology “Queen Geraldine”, Tirana, Albania
*Coresponding author Email:emirialma@yahoo.com,
Abstract
A study was conducted from June 2012 to May 2013 to estimate the proportion of tetracycline residue levels in beef at main slaughterhouses in Tirana, capital of Albania. A total of 37 beef muscle samples were randomly collected from slaughtered beef in the slaughterhouses. The samples were analyzed by using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), with Photo Diode Array detector (DAD). The detection limit of the method was calculated to be 25 μg/kg and the limit of quantitation was found to be 50 μg/kg. The recoveries of oxytetracycline (OTC), tetracycline (TC) and chlortetracycline (CTC) from spiked samples at three fortification levels were higher than 78% for all drugs. From 37 beef meat samples collected from different slaughterhouses of Tirana, only 4 samples showed detectable concentration of OTC residues but were lower than the maximum residue limits (MRLs) according to Commission Regulation (EU) No 37/2010. TC and CTC were absent in all samples. These levels were not able to induce risks to human health. However other studies are necessary to evaluate other drug residues in beef samples and to evaluate the hazards of these residues in relation with daily intakes and other related factors.
Keywords – Oxytetracycline, Tetracycline, Chlortetracycline, HPLC, residues
