Determination of malachite green and its metabolite, leucomalachite green, in catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) tissue by liquid chromatography with visible detection.

To determine residues of malachite green (MG) and its metabolite, leucomalachite green (LMG), in catfish tissue, analytes are extracted with acetonitrile-buffer and the extract is partitioned into methylene chloride. Final cleanup and isolation are performed on neutral alumina solid-phase extraction (SPE) and propylsulfonic acid cation-exchange SPE columns before analysis by liquid chromatography with visible detection. PbO2 postcolumn oxidation is performed by isocratic elution with a buffered mobile phase from a cyano column. Recoveries and relative standard deviations (RSDs) from fortified catfish tissues were 72.9% (RSD, 1.92%; 23 ppb), 75.5% (RSD, 6.85%; 11 ppb), and 69.6% (RSD, 6.93%; 5.7 ppb) for MG and 87.4% (RSD, 2.92%; 21 ppb), 88.1% (RSD, 5.94%; 10 ppb), and 82.6% (RSD, 11.5%; 5.3 ppb) for LMG. The method was applied to MG-incurred catfish at depuration times of 0, 2, 4, 8, and 24 h. Average levels of residual MG and LMG in the 24 h depuration catfish tissue were 73.4 and 289 ppb, respectively.