Reversed-Phase HPLC Determination of Eight Anticoagulant Rodenticides in Animal Liver

Abstract

A reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method was developed for the analysis of eight anticoagulant rodenticides in animal liver. Coumarinic anticoagulant rodenticides (brodifacoum, bromadiolone, coumachlor, coumatetralyl, difenacoum, and warfarin) were detected by using a gradient elution and a fluorimetric detection. Indanedione anticoagulant rodenticides (chlorophacinone and diphacinone) were detected by using an isocratic elution and an UV detection. Anticoagulants were extracted from liver with mixtures of acetone/diethylether and acetone/chloroform. Extracts were applied to solid-phase extraction cartridges. Linearity was checked over the concentration range 0.1–0.6 µg/g. Relative standard deviations of within-run and between-run variability were all between 5.7 and 10.3%. Recoveries from spiked liver samples were between 51.7 (difenacoum) and 78.2% (warfarin). Limits of detection were between 0.01 (difenacoum and warfarin) and 0.11 µg/g (chlorophacinone).