The characterization of trichothecenes as their heptafluorobutyrate esters by negative-ion chemical ionization tandem mass spectrometry

Negative-ion chemical ionization (NCI) and collisionally activated mass spectra are presented for heptafluorobutyryl (HFB) esters of eight trichothecenes. The ion-source conditions have a dramatic effect on the NCI spectra and only at low source temperatures can intense parent ions, i.e., M^? for bis- and tris-HFB esters (neosolaniol, HT-2 Toxin, monoacetosyscirpenol, fusarenon-X and deoxynivalenol) and [M-HF]^? for mono-HFB esters (T-2 Toxin, Iso-T-2 Toxin, and diacetoxyscirpenol), be generated. High selectivity and a sensitivity down to picogram (0.2-2pg) levels were achieved with gas chromatography/NCI tandem mass spectrometry. Application to a spiked oats sample is described.