Alkaloids known as secondary metabolites are grouped by typical structural characteristics into large families such as pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) comprising more than 350 individual heterocyclic compounds. The PAs present a serious health risk to human and livestock; hence there is a need for methods that allow these dangerous plant toxins to be determined. In this study, a fast, reliable and sensitive approach is proposed to identify and quantify PAs in feed samples. PAs including monocrotaline, senkirkine, senecionine, seneciphylline and retrorsine were determined by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. Sample preparation was based on a modified QuEChERS approach. The mean recovery, precision, matrix effects and limits of quantification were assessed for three matrices within the method validation. The presented method was used to inspect 41 various feed samples, where the presence of PAs was expected. Roughages and feed for rabbits contained the highest levels of PAs, in general.

Central Institute for Supervising and Testing in Agriculture Hroznová 2 Brno 656 06 Czech Republic

Central Institute for Supervising and Testing in Agriculture Hroznová 2 Brno 656 06 Czech Republic; Institute of Chemistry and Technology of Environmental Protection Faculty of Chemistry Brno University of Technology Purkyňova 118 Brno 612 00 Czech Republic

Institute of Chemistry and Technology of Environmental Protection Faculty of Chemistry Brno University of Technology Purkyňova 118 Brno 612 00 Czech Republic

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