The reference standards of colistin sulfate (colistin was 753 µg mg−1, and colistin B was 53.6%, according to the certificate of analysis) were procured from Sigma-Aldrich, Bangalore, India. The stock solution (1000 µg mL−1) of analyte was prepared in methanol/1% formic acid in water (1/1, v/v) by correcting the sulfate mass, and kept at −20 °C. The working standards were prepared via serial dilution with methanol/1% formic acid in water (1/1, v/v). These working standard solutions were then used for preparing linearity and spiking studies.
A refrigerated centrifuge Sorvall™ ST8 ventilated benchtop (ThermoScientific, San Jose, CA, USA), analytical balance (Aczet, CY2202) and precision balance (Aczet, CY205C, San Diego, CA, USA), vortex mixer (Thermo Scientific, USA), 2, 15 and 50 mL extraction/conical centrifuge tubes (Thermo Scientific) and Thermo Scientific variable volume Finnpipette (100–1000 µL; 10–100 µL; and 0.5 to 5 mL) were also used.