Analytical method employing QuEChERS and UHPLC-MS/MS for albendazole and its metabolites determination in fish fillet

• Grant number: 17/26290-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• Start date: February 01, 2018
• End date: July 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Science
• Principal Investigator: Jonas Augusto Rizzato Paschoal
• Grantee: Ana Carolina Vellosa Portela
• Supervisor: Mark Mooney
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland
• Associated to the scholarship: 16/16593-9 - Estimation and evaluation of withdrawal periods for albendazole and its metabolites in fish, BP.MS

Abstract

The present project aims improve the scientific evolution intended into the ongoing masters' modality project granted by FAPESP through the process 2016/16593-9 entitled "Estimation and evaluation of withdrawn period of albendazole and its metabolites in fish fillets". A 6-month internship is proposed at Queen's University of Belfast (QUB), Northern Ireland. The internship will be supervised by Dr Mark Mooney, who leads research projects at the Institute for Global Food Security with focus on monitoring and detecting chemical contaminants in animal food. The present project represents an important step for the scientific partnership consolidation between the University of São Paulo (USP) and QUB which has been started through the ongoing financed granted into the FAPESP-SPRINT call (process 2014/50755-0). In this way, this project intends to increase the analytical chemistry knowledge involving food safety issues. Currently, we have developed and validated an analytical method to determine residues of albendazole (ABZ) - a broad-spectrum antiparasitic against helminthic parasites with potential to be used in aquaculture - and its metabolites in fish fillet employing fish species of Brazilian commercial importance. ABZ has been considered to be effective in aquaculture as antiparatic drug; however it is not regulated for fish farming. In order to consider it for regular use in fish farming, reliable analytical methods are demanded to determine ABZ residues in fish meat. Through this project, we intend to evaluate the transfer feasibility of the already develped method to another laboratory (QUB), using more modern equipments. It will also be evaluated to include lyophilization procedure during the sample pre-treatment step to improve the analytical performance (precision).