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Evaluation of boldenone formation and related steroids transformations in veal faeces by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry
Author(s) -
Arioli Francesco,
Gavinelli Matteo P.,
Fracchiolla Maria L.,
Casati Alessio,
Fidani Marco,
Ferrer Emilia,
Pompa Giuseppe
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
rapid communications in mass spectrometry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.528
H-Index - 136
eISSN - 1097-0231
pISSN - 0951-4198
DOI - 10.1002/rcm.3361
Subject(s) - chemistry , epitestosterone , chromatography , urine , feces , tandem mass spectrometry , androstenedione , steroid , extraction (chemistry) , nandrolone , liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry , mass spectrometry , hormone , biochemistry , androgen , anabolism , paleontology , biology
It is established that bovine urine can result positive for boldenone and androstadienedione in consequence of faecal contamination. The simple transfer of steroids to urine is one minor aspect of faecal contamination. A high de novo production of steroids in faeces after deposition and in faeces‐contaminated urine is almost certainly due to microbial activity, although the precursor compounds and transformations leading to the presence of these illegal steroids are unclear. We developed a simple in vitro method – incubation of faecal matter suspended in 0.9% saline – to induce steroid transformations in faeces, and analyzed the products by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry, without the need for prior extraction. Norethandrolone was the internal standard. The linearity (R 2 : 0.987–0.999), sensitivity (LODs: 0.3 to 1.0 ng/mL; LOQs: 1.0 to 3.0 ng/mL), precision (intra‐day CVs: 2.6–8.2; inter‐day CVs: 4.5–11.5) and accuracy (percentage recovery: 89–120%) were calculated for the studied steroids. Androstenedione, androstadienedione, α ‐ and β ‐boldenone, testosterone and epitestosterone transformations were investigated. Mutual interconversion of steroids was observed, although 17 β ‐hydroxy steroids had low stability compared with 17 α ‐hydroxy and 17‐keto steroids. The results suggest that this simple in vitro system may be an effective way of studying hormone transformations in faeces and, after analogue studies, in faeces‐contaminated urine. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.