Simultaneous detection of several Fusarium mycotoxins in cereals, grains, and foodstuffs

Abstract

A systematic method is described for the simultaneous determination of Fusarium mycotoxins (nivalenol, deoxynivalenol, fusarenon-x, diacetoxyscirpenol, neosolaniol, T-2 toxin, HT-2 toxin, butenolide, moniliformin, and zearalenone) in cereals, grains, and foodstuffs. Mycotoxins were extracted with aqueous methanol and purified by a 2-step chromatographic procedure using Amberlite XAD-4 and Florisil columns. The column eluates were concentrated and spotted on a thin layer chromatographic (TLC) plate which was then developed in CHCL3-methanol (93 + 7) and toluene-acetone-methanol (5 + 3 + 2). Each mycotoxin was quantitated by gas chromatography (GC) and TLC densitometry. The minimum detectable concentrations (microgram/kg) in various test materials were: nivalenol, deoxynivalenol, and fusarenon-x, 2.0; diacetoxyscirpenol, neosolaniol, T-2 toxin, and HT-2 toxin, 80; zearalenone, 10; butenolide, 30; and moniliformin, 50. Recoveries of the mycotoxins added to various cereal samples at 1.0-2.0 microgram/g were greater than 71% and averaged 85%.