Analysis of the anti-coccidial drug, halofuginone, in chicken tissue and chicken feed using high-performance liquid chromatography.

Methods are described for the analysis of the anti-coccidial drug, halofuginone, in chicken tissue at concentrations as low as 1 ppb (0.001 ppm) and in chicken feed at a concentration of 3 ppm, using high-performance liquid chromatography. The tissue analysis involves: enzymatic release of the halofuginone followed by ethyl acetate extraction under basic conditions, partition into ammonium acetate buffer, concentration using Sep-pakTM C18 cartridge. The feed analysis involves: ethyl acetate extraction under basic conditions, partition into hydrochloric acid, concentration using XAD-2 column chromatography. Both methods use high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection for the final analysis. Precision and accuracy data for both methods are given.