HPLC determination of colistin and aminoglycoside antibiotics in feeds by post-column derivatization and fluorescence detection

Reversed-phase, HPLC methods employing postcolumn derivatization and fluorescence detection were developed for the determination of the peptide colistin and four aminoglycoside antibiotics in feeds. Extraction of the analytes was by sonication and shaking with dilute hydrochloric acid. Post-column derivatization was performed using orthophtaldialdehyde-2-mercaptoethanol chemistry. Assay of colistin was by using an acetonitrile-aqueous sodium sulphate-triethylammonium phosphate (pH 2.8) eluent. Aminoglycoside antibiotics:amikacin, kanamycin, gentamycin and neomycin were analyzed using a tetrahydrofuran-aqueous sodium sulphate-sodium pentanesulphonate-acetic acid mobile phase. The method was also applied to some pharmaceutical preparations. Preliminary results showed that the method can be adapted for the assay of the above antibiotics in meat and animal serum for residue and pharmacokinetic studies.