The analysis of those traces is a powerful aid in combatting excessive and unnecessary use of antibiotics, says researcher Tina Zuidema. By examining the position and distribution of an antibiotic in and on the feathers, the researchers can tell which antibiotic was used and at what stage in the chicken’s life. These results can then be compared with the poultry farmer’s antibiotic records. If the feather scan diverges from these, it could be a case of improper use.
The researchers used fluid chromatography together with mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to expose the presence of antibiotics in the chicken feathers. Mass spectrometry is a widely used technique for identifying molecules. That identification is based on the mass of several fragments of the molecule in question. Each antibiotic has its own ‘fingerprint’. The researchers can identify more than 40 different antibiotics this way.