Rapid determination of multiple aminoglycoside antibiotics in veterinary formulations by ion-pair chromatography coupled with evaporative light scattering detection

A fast and simple method for simultaneous determination of eight aminoglycoside antibiotics using ion-pairing liquid chromatography (IPLC) coupled with evaporative light scattering detection (ELSD) has been developed and validated. Separation of amikacin, apramycin, gentamicin (as a sum of gentamicin C1, C2 and C1A), kanamycin A, neomycin B, paromomycin, streptomycin and tobramycin was achieved using C18 column with H2O and MeOH/acetone, both with addition of nonafluoropentanoic acid. Limits of detection ranged between 1.2 μg/mL and 2.8 μg/mL. The total analysis time was 9.5 min. The developed method showed the suitability for the routine quality control of veterinary drugs (drops, powders and paraffin-based suspensions).