Three-way models and detection capability of a gas chromatography–mass spectrometry method for the determination of clenbuterol in several biological matrices: the 2002/657/EC European Decision Original Research Article

Clenbuterol has been extracted by mixed solid-phase extraction from two biological matrices (bovine hair and urine) and detected by GC/MS (selected ion monitoring (SIM) and full-SCAN modes). The analytical signal has been modelled with univariate and three-way models, namely DTLD, PARAFAC, PARAFAC2, Tucker3 and trilinear PLS. Since clenbuterol is a banned substance a comparative study of the capability of detection (CCβ, X0=0) has been performed as a function of the sample (hair, 74 μg kg−1 and urine, 0.36 μg l−1), the mode in which the signals are monitored (SCAN, 283 μg kg−1 and SIM, 74 μg kg−1) and the statistical model (univariate, 283 μg kg−1 and trilinear PLS, 20.91 μg kg−1). The capability of detection has been calculated as stated in ISO 11843 and Decision 2002/657/EC setting in all cases the probabilities of false positive and of false negative at 0.05.