Chromatographic methods as tools in the field of mycotoxins

Achievements in the applications of chromatographic techniques in mycotoxicology are reviewed. Historically, column chromatography (CC) and paper chromatography (PC) were applied first, followed by thin-layer chromatography (TLC), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography (GC). Although PC techniques are no longer used in the analysis of mycotoxins, selected applications of PC are included to underline historical continuity. The most important achievements published from 1980 onwards are described. They include clean-up methods, TLC, CC, HPLC and GC of mycotoxins in environmental samples, foods, feeds, body fluids and in studies on biosynthesis and biotransformations of mycotoxins. Advantages and disadvantages of chromatographic techniques used in mycotoxicology are also evaluated.     

Chromatography of Trichothecene Mycotoxins

Abstract

Trichothecene mycotoxins occur in agricultural commodities and can cause problems from feed refusal to death in animals. This paper describes chromatographic methods for selective analysis for trichothecene mycotoxins. These methods include gas chromatography (GC), thin layer chromatography (TLC), and high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). The trichothecene analysis methods by GC and TLC are shown to have a greater sensitivity than in HPLC for the underivatized mycotoxins.     

Standardized high-performance liquid chromatography of 182 mycotoxins and other fungal metabolites based on alkylphenone retention indices and UV-VIS spectra (diode array detection)

A general standardized method for the analysis of mycotoxins and other fungal secondary metabolites has been developed, based on high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with an alkylphenone retention index and photodiode-array detection combined with thin-layer chromatography (TLC) in two different eluents. Each fungal secondary metabolite is characterized by its bracketed alkylphenone retention time index, its UV-VIS absorption maxima and its retardation factors relative to griseofulvin in two TLC eluents. This system is effective for the comparison of chemotaxonomic data in different laboratories and for a precise identification of fungi based on organic solvent extracts of fungal cultures. All important groups of mycotoxins and other fungal secondary metabolites could be detected in the HPLC system described and data are listed for 182 metabolites. The fungal secondary metabolites separated and characterized include aflatoxin B1, B2, G1 and G2, ochratoxin A, citrinin, penicillin acid, viomellein, penitrem A, patulin, sterigmatocystin, alternariol, tenuazonic acid, trichothecenes, roquefortines, fusarin C, zearalenone, PR-toxin, citreoviridin, viridicatumtoxin, verruculogen, rugulosin, cyclopiazonic acid, penicillin G and many other alkaloids, polyketides and terpenes.     

A Versatile Method for Quantification of Aflatoxins and Ochratoxin A in Dried Figs

JPC – Journal of Planar Chromatography – Modern TLC - Thin-layer chromatography is a rapid and reliable working method for quantification of mycotoxins which is suitable for checking EC...     

Analytical Methods for the Determination of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alternaria</Emphasis> Mycotoxins

The genus Alternaria comprises ubiquitous pathogens and saprophytes. They can even grow at low temperature, so they are the main fungi responsible for the spoilage of various fruits, vegetables, grains and their products during long-distance transport and refrigerated storage. Alternaria mycotoxins are the secondary metabolite of the genus Alternaria. They can be divided into five main classes according to their chemical structures, including dibenzopyrone derivatives, tetramic acid derivatives, perylene derivatives, AAL toxins and miscellaneous structures. Alternaria mycotoxins are associated with many health effects because of their mutagenicity, teratogenicity and carcinogenicity, which can cause economic losses to agriculture and serious diseases in humans and animals. So far, there is still a lack of monitoring data on these contaminants of Alternaria mycotoxins. Moreover, there are still no statutory or guideline limits set for Alternaria mycotoxins in food and feed by regulatory authorities worldwide. Until now, many analytical methods have been developed for the detection and quantification of Alternaria mycotoxins. On the basis of briefly introducing the chemical structures and toxicities of Alternaria mycotoxins, this article provides an overview of the progress achieved in the detection techniques for Alternaria mycotoxins, focusing on the analytical methods of thin layer chromatography (TLC), gas chromatography (GC), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), liquid chromatography (LC), liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and so on. Finally, the problems of these analytical methods and future development trends are discussed.     

Determination of mycotoxins in human foods

This tutorial review deals with the analytical methods available for the determination of mycotoxins in food commodities. As the secondary metabolites of a range of fungal species, mycotoxins possess diverse chemical structures, presenting analytical chemists with a unique set of challenges in the microg kg(-1) (ppb) range. A number of analytical methods have been applied to mycotoxin analysis. These include widely applicable HPLC methods with UV or fluorimetric detection, which are extensively used both in research and for legal enforcement of food safety legislation and for regulations in international agricultural trade. Other chromatographic methods, such as TLC and GC, are also employed for the determination of mycotoxins, whereas recent advances in analytical instrumentation have highlighted the potential of LC-MS methods, especially for multi-toxin determination and for confirmation purposes. Conventional chromatographic methods are generally time consuming and capital intensive, and hence a range of methods, mostly based on immunological principles, have been developed and commercialised for rapid analysis. These methods include, among others, enzyme-linked immunosorbent analysis (ELISA), direct fluorimetry, fluorescence polarization, and various biosensors and strip methods.     

超高效液相色谱-四极杆/静电场轨道阱高分辨质谱快速精准测定粮食中多种真菌毒素

采用直接提取稀释的快速前处理方法,结合稳定同位素稀释技术,利用超高效液相色谱-四极杆/静电场轨道阱高分辨质谱,建立了粮食中16种真菌毒素的快速精准分析方法。样品采用乙腈-水-乙酸溶液(70∶29∶1,体积比)提取,以C18色谱柱进行色谱分离,通过全扫描模式进行定量检测,并采用稳定同位素稀释以减少基质效应对定量分析的影响。结果表明,16种真菌毒素在一定浓度范围内均具有良好的线性关系,相关系数(r2)均大于0.999,4种常见粮食基质(小麦、玉米、大米、大麦)的限量浓度水平的加标回收率(n=6)为75.3%~123.5%,相对标准偏差为0.41%~14.7%。该方法简单、准确,适用于粮食中真菌毒素的检测,可满足日常监测工作的需要。     

The state-of-the-art in the analysis of type-A and -B trichothecene mycotoxins in cereals

The aim of this review is to describe the state-of-the-art in the analysis of A- and B-trichothecene mycotoxins in cereals and to support knowledge and experience exchange between laboratories in the field of Fusarium mycotoxin analysis. Current screening tests and quantitative methods for the most prevalent type-A and -B trichothecenes, HT-2 and T-2-toxin, and deoxynivalenol (DON) are reviewed. This includes the extraction and clean-up procedures and chromatographic methods (TLC, HPLC, GC) applied and the immunochemical methods, especially enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), employed for the determination of these mycotoxins. Results from recent intercomparison studies of the determination of DON are also discussed. Experience gained during these intercomparisons clearly shows the need for further improvement in the determination of trichothecenes, to obtain more accurate and comparable results. This also indicates there is a strong need for the development of further certified reference materials (CRM) which would enable comparison of measurement results between different European laboratories for several A- and B-trichothecenes. For both A- and B-trichothecenes there is still a lack of simple and reliable screening methods enabling the rapid detection of these mycotoxins at low cost.     

New TLC/HPTLC commercially prepared and laboratory prepared plates: A review

Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) had its initial growth in the 1950s when TLC sorbents and devices for making TLC plates in the analytical laboratory became available. A resurgence in TLC use occurred when commercially prepared plates became available around 1965. Their advantage was greater reproducibility because of their uniformity and convenience of use. Having just passed the 50th anniversary of this date, TLC still finds wide application as a useful analytical tool throughout the world. The introduction of high-performance TLC (HPTLC)-prepared plates was also a welcome addition to the chromatography laboratory. Today, advances in TLC instrumentation that aid in sample application, plate development, qualification, and quantification continue to evolve and improve. The TLC/HPTLC plate manufacturers have continued to add new prepared plates to meet the greater demands for higher purity or special applications for these newer devices. More recently, researchers have experimented with new sorbents or preparation techniques that have resulted in special properties for thin-layer-prepared plates, particularly for use in TLC–MS applications. This article will discuss not only some classical TLC plates but also these newer thin layers, their advantages, and some of their applications.     

超高效液相色谱-四极杆/静电场轨道阱高分辨质谱法测定焙烤食品及其原料中11种真菌毒素

建立了超高效液相色谱-四极杆/静电场轨道阱高分辨质谱(UPLC-HRMS)测定焙烤食品及其原料中11种真菌毒素的检测分析方法。样品经20 mL含1%(体积分数)甲酸的乙腈-水(9∶1,v/v)溶液提取,经2.0 g无水硫酸、0.5 g氯化钠和300 mg C18盐析、净化后进行检测。采用CORTECS C18色谱柱(100 mm×2.1 mm,1.6μm),以含0.1%(体积分数)甲酸的2 mmol/L乙酸铵溶液和含0.1%(体积分数)甲酸的2 mmol/L乙酸铵甲醇溶液为流动相进行梯度洗脱。结果显示,11种真菌毒素在各自的质量浓度范围内线性关系良好(相关系数r2≥0.996 0),方法的定量限为0.15~20.00μg/kg,样品加标回收率为64.38%~122.61%,相对标准偏差为1.52%~12.99%(n=6)。该方法简单快速、灵敏度高、结果准确、可靠,利用该方法可有效测定焙烤食品及其原料中常见真菌毒素的含量。     

Thin-layer chromatographic detection of zeranol and estradiol in fortified plasma and tissue extracts with Fast Corinth V.

In an attempt to improve sensitivity of thin-layer chromatographic (TLC) analysis and selectivity of visualizing agents for detection of estrogenic anabolic hormones, several dyes were screened for their chromogenic interactions with estrone, estradiol, diethylstilbestrol (DES), zeranol (zearalanol), zearalanone, and mycotoxins, zearalenone and zearalenol. Fast Corinth V salt was selected for its relatively high sensitivity. These anabolic compounds were separated by TLC and visualized with Corinth V and the results compared to iodine and starch visualization. Fortified bovine plasma and tissues (kidney, liver and muscle) and chicken muscles were analyzed after a clean-up procedure using solid-phase dual columns of alumina and anion-exchange resin. Iodine-starch clearly detected 4 ng of estradiol and DES while zeranol and zearalenone were detected at higher levels (10 ng). Fast Corinth V showed distinct spots with 2 ng of zeranol and 4 ng of zearalenone while faint spots were observed with estradiol and estrone standards. DES was not detectable at these levels. Less background interference was observed with Corinth V than with iodine-starch. The former confirmed spots detected by iodine-starch. This study suggests its selectivity for detection of zeranol and its metabolite, zearalanone, in the presence of steroidal compounds.     

Rapid test strips for analysis of mycotoxins in food and feed

An overview is given on recent trends and applications of rapid immunodiagnostic tests for screening of food and feed for mycotoxins. Different test formats are discussed, and challenges in the development of lateral-flow devices for on-site determination of mycotoxins, with requirements such as being robust, fast, and cost-effective, are briefly elucidated.     

Investigation of phenolic acids in yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius) leaves and tubers

Thin-layer chromatographic (TLC) screening of crude extracts of dried leaves and tubers of yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius, Asteraceae) and products of acid hydrolysis of tubers on the silica gel HPTLC plates using the developing solvents ethyl acetate-formic acid-water (85:10:15, v/v/v) and n-hexane-ethyl acetate-formic acid (20:19:1, v/v/v) proved the presence of chlorogenic, caffeic and ferulic acid. These phenolic acids were isolated from the crude extract of yacon leaves by preparative TLC, and identified after elution by HPLC/MS, as well as by direct injection of the crude extract into the HPLC/MS system. Acid hydrolysis of tubers released the increased amount of phenolic acids (e.g. caffeic acid and ferulic acid), flavonoid quercetin and an unidentified flavonoid, which was detected by TLC analysis. Ferulic acid, isomers of dicaffeoylquinic acid and still an unidentified derivative of chlorogenic acid (Mr = 562) as constituents of yacon leaves and ferulic acid as constituent of yacon tubers are reported here for the first time. These acids gave significant contribution to the radical scavenging activity detected directly on the TLC plate sprayed with 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH).     

A simple and selective sensor for the determination of ascorbic Acid in vitamin C tablets based on paptode.

A method for the determination of ascorbic acid in vitamin C tablets based on a very simple paptode design on TLC strips is described. This procedure is based on the reduction of iron(III) with ascorbic acid and the formation of a colorful red complex with immobilized 2,2'-dipyridyl (dipy) on TLC strips. The linear range of the system was 20-200 ppm with a detection limit of 1 ppm and a relative standard deviation of 1.5% (n = 28). The parameters, such as pH, concentration of iron(III), concentration of dipy and the volume of dipy per 1 cm(2) of TLC strips, were optimized. The proposed sensor was successfully applied for the determination of ascorbic acid in vitamin C tablets.     

New, sensitive thin-layer chromatographic-high-performance liquid chromatographic method for detection of trichothecene mycotoxins

Diphenylindenone sulphonyl (Dis) esters of trichothecene mycotoxins when sprayed with sodium methoxide showed fluorescent spots on a thin layer of silica gel when viewed under long-wavelength UV light. The detection limit for trichothecene esters in thin-layer chromatography (TLC) was 20-25 ng per spot for T-2 toxin, HT-2 toxin, diacetoxyscirpenol, T-2 triol, T-2 tetraol and iso-HT-2 toxin. A quantitative high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) analysis of Dis-trichothecene esters was also developed using UV detection at 278 nm. The detection limit for the above esters varied between 30 and 50 ng per injection. This sensitive TLC-HPLC method is very useful for in vivo pharmacokinetic analyses of trichothecenes.     

Applications of thin-layer chromatography and thin-layer electrophoresis in the analysis of inorganic anions: a review

JPC – Journal of Planar Chromatography – Modern TLC - This review is intended to highlight various applications of thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and thin-layer electrophoresis (TLE)...     

Bioautographic detection of mycotoxins on thin-layer chromatograms.

A method for the bioautographic detection of mycotoxins on thin-layer chromatograms by using Artemia salina larvae is described. The method was tested on standard samples of mycotoxins (aflatoxin B1 kojic acid and sterigmatocystin) and on the extracts from toxicogenic fungi isolated from different sources.     

超高效液相色谱-四极杆/静电场轨道阱高分辨质谱对粮谷产品中20种真菌毒素的快速筛查和确证

建立了超高效液相色谱-四极杆/静电场轨道阱高分辨质谱快速筛查和确证粮谷产品中20种真菌毒素的方法。样品经乙腈（含2%（体积分数）甲酸）提取,用Captiva EMR-Lipid小柱净化,采用Thermo Hypersil Gold C₁₈柱（100 mm×2.1 mm,1.9 μm）分离,用四极杆/静电场轨道阱高分辨质谱进行分析。在全扫描模式下以分析物的保留时间和一级母离子信息实现快速筛查,以自动触发采集的二级碎片离子信息进行确证。结果显示,目标分析物在各自的质量浓度范围内线性关系良好（相关系数r²>0.99）,方法检出限为0.25~20 μg/kg,回收率为72.9%~117.8%,相对标准偏差为2.9%~15.2%（n=6）。该方法灵敏度高,结果准确、可靠,适用于粮谷产品中20种真菌毒素的快速筛查和确证。     

高效液相色谱-串联质谱法同时测定饲料中11种霉菌毒素

建立了高效液相色谱-串联质谱(HPLC-MS/MS)同时检测饲料中11种霉菌毒素的分析方法。样品经乙腈提取,MycoSep 228多功能净化柱填料和PRIME HLB固相萃取柱净化;采用Agilent Zorbax SB-C18色谱柱(150 mm×2.1 mm,3.5μm)分离,以甲醇和5 mmol/L乙酸铵水溶液(含0.1%(v/v)甲酸)为流动相梯度洗脱;采用ESI源正、负离子同时扫描,多反应监测(MRM)模式测定,内标法定量。结果表明,11种目标物在各自的线性范围内线性关系良好,相关系数均大于0.99,定量限为2.0~50.0μg/kg。11种霉菌毒素在3个加标水平(1、2、5倍定量限)下的平均回收率为79.3%~101.6%,相对标准偏差(RSD)为5.9%~13.2%(n=5)。该法简单快速,净化效果好,灵敏度高,适用于饲料中11种霉菌毒素的分析。