Abstract: A rapid method was established for screening 51 antibiotic residues in bean sprouts using ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) after a rapid and high throughput pretreatment. Samples were extracted with acetonitrile and the extract was cleaned up by quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) extraction. The target compounds were separated on BEH C18 UPLC column with gradient elution, monitored using positive electrospray ionization in the multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM) mode and quantitated by the external standard method. The results showed that the limits of quantity (LOQs) for 51 antibiotics were between 0.5 and 5 μg/kg. Average recoveries at 3 different spiked levels were 62.93%-118.69%, and the precision values expressed as relative standard deviations (RSDs) were 0.29%-9.72%. This method proved to be a rapid, high throughput, multi-component screening method for antibiotic residues in bean sprouts.

Key words: bean sprout, ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS), antibiotics, rapid screening