Determination of embutramide and pentobarbital in meat and bone meal by gas chromatography mass spectrometry

An analytical procedure. consisting of multiple steps, was developed for the analysis of meat and bone meal for two veterinary drugs, embutramide and pentobarbital, used for euthanasia. After a combined extraction, embutramide was converted to its trimethylsilylether derivative and pentobarbital was methylated. Both analytes were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in the electron impact or chemical ionisation mode. Limits of determination and identification were between 50 and 100 mu g kg(-1) depending on the compound and the ionisation technique applied. Particular attention was focused on the identification of the analytes.