Immunochemical methods for mycotoxin

Chu, F. S. 1991. Immunoassays for trace chemical analysis Monitoring toxic chemicals in humans, food, and the environment. In "Current Immunochemical Methods for Mycotoxin Analysis" (M. Vanderlaan, L. H. Stanker, B. E. Watkins, and D. W. Roberts, eds.), pp. 140-157. American Chemical Society, Washington, DC. 

Trucksess, M. W. 2001. Rapid analysis (thin layer chromatographic and immunochemical methods) for mycotoxins in foods and feeds). In Mycotoxins and Phycotoxins in Perspective at the Turn of the Millennium, ed. de Koe, W. J., Samson, R. A., van Egmond, H. R, Gilbert, J., and Sabino, M. lUPAC, The Netherlands, Wageningen. 

Trucksess, M. W. and Koeltzow, D. E. 1995. Evaluation and apphcation of immunochemical methods for mycotoxins in food. In Immunoanalysis of Agrochemicals in Emerging Technologies, ed. J. O., Nelson, A. E. Karu, and R. B., Wong, American Chemical Society, Washington, DC. 

Immunoassay methodologies are now a major method for rapid analysis of many mycotoxins, especially aflatoxins. These immunochemical techniques are based upon quite different principles to chromatographic procedures. In essence, immunochemical procedures involve reversible binding between antigens (the... 

For mycotoxin analyses radioimmunoassay (RIA), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISAs) and affinity chromatography are the principal immunochemical methods in commercial application. Immunoaffinity columns or cartridges for specific mycotoxins are now being increasingly used in preliminary clean-up of extracts prior to final analysis by HPLC or GLC methods. 

There are immunochemical biosensors applied for mycotoxin assays. Gaag at all developed a method based on surface plasmon resonance for measuring of four different my cotoxins - aflatoxin Bj, zearalenone, ochratoxin A and fumarotoxin (Paepens et al. 2004). 

Screening tests for the trichothecene mycotoxins are generally simple and rapid but, with the exception of the immunochemical methods, are nonspecific. A number of bioassay systems have been used for the identification of trichothecene mycotoxins.73 Although most of these systems are very simple, they are not specific, their sensitivity is generally relatively low compared to other methods, and they require that the laboratory maintain vertebrates, invertebrates, plants, or cell cultures. Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) is one of the simplest and earliest analytical methods developed for myco-toxin analysis. Detection limits for trichothecene mycotoxins by TLC is 0.2 to 5 ppm (0.2 to 5 pg/ mL). Therefore, extracts from biomedical samples would have to be concentrated 10- to 1,000-fold to screen for trichothecene mycotoxins. 

Although a number of Immunochemical methods have been used for the analysis of small molecular weight biological substances, only radioimmunoassay (RIA), enyzme-1Inked Immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Immuno-affinity assay (lAA), have been developed for the analysis of mycotoxins. Recent developments have led to several quick screening tests and more than 10 types of commercial kits have become available In the last few years (8, 10, 13). In most cases, sample after extraction from the solid matrix and diluted In buffer can be directly used In the assay. Since the application of Immunoassay for several mycotoxins are covered by other speakers, I will only briefly highlight some of the recent progress on these methods. 

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