LC-MS/MS analysis of doxycycline residues in chicken tissues after oral administration

For the purpose of quantitative determination of doxycycline (DC) residues in tissues, a sensitive liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed. The method was used to determine DC residues in chicken tissues (breast and thigh muscle, liver and kidney) after oral administration with drinking water to five-weak-old broiler chickens. The DC was administered for five consecutive days at a therapeutic dose of 10 mg/kg b.w. once a day. The tissues were collected after 6 h, 24 h, 7 d, and 8 d. The method was validated and the decision limit was established for muscle - 109.2 µg/kg, for liver - 326.1 µg/kg, and for kidney - 634.0 µg/kg. The detection limit was 2 µg/kg and the limit of quantification was 5 µg/kg. In a short period after ceasing the treatment, the detected concentrations of DC were much higher than the established maximum residue limit values. The highest residue concentrations of DC were observed in the kidney, followed by the liver and muscle. The lowest concentration of DC was determined in tight muscle.