Simple selected ion monitoring method for determination of fosfomycin in blood and urine

A rapid, sensitive and specific selected ion monitoring method is described for the determination of fosfomycin in plasma and urine. The extraction of the drug from serum involves deproteinization with ethanol (1 ml per 0.25 ml of serum), evaporation of an aliquot of supernatant and derivatization with a silylating mixture consisting of bistrimethylsilyl-acetamide—dichloromethane (1:1) + 5% of trimethylchlorosilane. The analysis of fosfomycin in urine requires the dilution of samples and their derivatization only. The results were compared with those obtained by analysing the same samples using a microbiological method.