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 th e analysis of meat and bone meal for two veterinary drugs, embutramide and pentobarbital, used for euthanasia. After a combined extraction, embutramid e was converted to its trimethylsilylether derivative and pentobarbital was methylated. Both analytes were determined by gas chromatography-mass spect rometry in the electron impact or chemical ionisation mode. Limits of deter mination and identification were between 50 and 100 mu g kg(-1) depending o n the compound and the ionisation technique applied. Particular attention w as focused on the identification of the analytes.