# A Novel Strategy for the Detection of Semicarbazide in Crustaceans by Modified QuEChERS Coupled with Hydrophilic Interaction Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry

## TL;DR

This paper introduces a faster and simpler method to detect semicarbazide in crustaceans using a modified QuEChERS and HILIC-MS/MS technique.

## Contribution

A novel, rapid, and accurate method for SEM detection in crustaceans using modified QuEChERS and HILIC-MS/MS is introduced.

## Key findings

- The modified method is simple, fast, and highly accurate for SEM detection in crustaceans.
- The method was successfully applied to study NFZ metabolism in Macrobrachium rosenbergii.
- A plausible mechanism for NFZ absorption and transfer from meat to shell was proposed.

## Abstract

Semicarbazide (SEM), a metabolite of nitrofurazone (NFZ), is widely used to detect the illegal application of NFZ in crustaceans. The conventional detection method involves chemical derivatization combined with reversed-phase liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (RPLC-MS/MS), which is both complex and time-consuming. To address this limitation, a more efficient approach was developed for SEM detection. This study introduces a modified QuEChERS pretreatment method coupled with hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (HILIC-MS/MS) for detecting SEM in crustaceans. The proposed method is simple, fast, and highly accurate, making it universally applicable for SEM detection in crustaceans. Additionally, the method was applied to investigate NFZ metabolism in Macrobrachium rosenbergii with a kinetic model. The findings suggested a plausible mechanism for the absorption of NFZ and its subsequent transfer from meat to the shell. In conclusion, this study provides a simple and rapid technique for SEM detection in crustaceans with immense application value.