Aflatoxins, Mycotoxins, and Other Toxic Analytes

Aflatoxin B, and two hydroxylated derivatives (aflatoxin Pj and Q ) were extracted from urine and analyzed on a Cjg column (A = 365 nm, ex 466nm, em for Q, and 

504 nm, em for P] 360 nm, ex 435 nm, em for B,) using a 60/40 water/acetonitrile mobile phase [308]. Postcolumn addition of hq takis-di-0-methyl-/ -cyclodextrin (lOmM aqueous solution) generated detection limits of 0.5ng/mL (S/N = 3) and linear ranges of 2-60ng/mL. Elution was complete in 30min and peak shapes were acceptable for a postcolumn analysis. 

Ailatoxins B, G, M], Q, and aflatoxin B]-8,9-epoxide glutathione conjugate were extracted ftom liver tissue and baseline resolved on a C g column (A = 362 nm) using a complex 20-min 0/100 90/10 (at 20 min hold additional 3 min) (95/5 

Five shellfish toxins (okadaic acid, 7-O-acetylokadaic acid, and dinophysistoxin-I, -2 and -3) were baseline resolved and eluted with excellent peak shapes using either a C4 or a C g column (APO-MS) with a 70/30 methanol/water (0.1% TFA) mobile phase [314]. The use of methanol as organic modifier lowered detection limits 10-fold (0.4 pg/mL) as compared with acetonitrile. The authors cite increased solubility of the toxins as the explanation for the decrease in detection limits. 

Zearalenone, a- and )S-zearalenol (zeralanone as internal standard [IS]) were isolated from beer and quantitated by LC/MS/MS [315]. A Cg column was used with a 65/35 methanol/water with 15 mM ammonium acetate mobile phase. Elution was complete in 14 min. The authors note that the negative ion mode was more sensitive that the positive ion mode. MS parameters were given as T = 400°C N2 collision gas needle current 4 pA voltage 30 eV A linear range of 0.15-500 pg/L, a 0.07-0.15 pg/L detection limit, and a 0.03-0.06 limit of quantitation (analyte dependent) were reported. 

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