Application of graphene-based solid-phase extraction for ultra-fast determination of malachite green and its metabolite in fish tissues

An ultra-fast analytical protocol using graphene-based solid-phase extraction coupled with ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry for the rapid determination of malachite green and its metabolite, leucomalachite green in fish tissues has been developed. In the present work, graphene was synthesized and evaluated as novel solid-phase extraction sorbents for the analytes enrichment and clean-up. The target analytes were separated on an ultra-pressure BEH C8 column and quantified by a triple-quadrupole linear ion trap mass spectrometer in multiple-reaction monitoring mode. The proposed analytical procedures were carefully optimized and validated. The matrix-matched calibration curves were performed at six concentration levels and good linear relationship (R2 > 0.9990) was observed within the range of 0.25–50 μg kg−1. The proposed method has been successfully applied to the analysis of MG and LMG in several fish samples, indicating that graphene was an efficient SPE sorbent for the enrichment of trace residues in food analysis.