Multiresidue analysis of anabolic compounds in bovine hair by gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

A rapid and specific multiresidue method was developed to perform screening and confirmation of 15 anabolics steroids in bovine hair, namely: dienestrol, DES, hexestrol, 17(alpha)- and 17(beta)-estradiol, 17(alpha)- and 17(beta)-19-nortestosterone, 17(alpha)- and 17(beta) -boldenone, testosterone ((beta)) and epitestosterone ((alpha)), ethynylestradiol, (alpha)-methyltestosterone, and (alpha)- and (beta)-Zearalanol. After methanolic and solid-phase extraction, trimethylsilyl derivatization (TMS) was performed and the derivatized extracts submitted to GC–MS–MS analysis. TMS derivatives of the studied hormones yielded specific MS–MS fragmentation with a high abundance for ions selected in the screening procedure. Validation was performed regarding qualitative parameters: decision limit (CC(alpha)), detection capability (CC(beta)) and specificity. For confirmation, European union criteria 2002/657/EC were considered. Detection capability ranged between 1.0 and 10.0 ng g^-1 depending on the compound.