Liquid chromatographic determination of zearalenone and zearalenol in animal feeds and grains, using fluorescence detection.

A liquid chromatographic (LC) method was developed for the determination of zearalenone and zearalenol in grains and mixed animal feeds. Samples are extracted with chloroform and purified by a base-acid liquid-liquid partition. Zearalenone and zearalenol are separated by reverse phase LC and determined by fluorescence detection, excitation wavelength 236 nm with a 418 nm cutoff filter. The method was applied to the determination of zearalenone and zearalenol in 395 survey samples of corn, oats, barley, sorghum, silage, and finished feeds. The limit of detection is 10 ng/g for both toxins. The range of naturally occurring toxins found was 10-4,000 ng/g. Average recoveries were 84% for zearlenone and 69% for zearalenol. Coefficients of variation were 24.6% for zearalenone and 30.8% for zearalenol for crop year 1980, and 28.3% for zearalenone and 22.0% for zearalenol for crop year 1981.

High pressure liquid chromatographic determination of xanthomegnin in grains and animal feeds.

A high pressure liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method is described for the determination of xanthomegnin in grains and mixed animal feeds at levels ranging from 150 to 1200 ng/g. This is equivalent to actual amounts of xanthomegnin injected on the HPLC system at from 15 to 120 ng/injection. Xanthomegnin is extracted with chloroform and 0.1M phosphoric acid. An aliquot of the crude extract is purified by column chromatography using a commercially available silica gel cartridge. Xanthomegnin is then separated from the remaining interferences by HPLC with a reverse phase C-8 column, and subsequently determined by absorbance detection at 405 nm. Elapsed time for the method from initial extraction to final HPLC determination is approximately 1 h. Recoveries of xanthomegnin added to grains and animal feeds at levels from 150 to 1200 ng/g averaged 82% with a coefficient of variation of 10.2%.

High pressure liquid chromatographic determination of aflatoxins in peanut butter using a silica gel-packed flowcell for fluorescence detection.

A high pressure liquid chromatographic method has been developed for determining aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, and G2 in peanut butter. The method is based on extraction with acidified aqueous methanol, partition of the aflatoxin into methylene chloride, and purification of the extract on a 2 g silica gel column. The extracted aflatoxins are resolved on a microparticulate (10 micrometer) porous silica gel column in ca 10 min with a water-washed chloroform-cyclohexane-acetonitrile solvent that contains 2% isopropanol. The fluorescence detection system determines aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, and G2 at low levels, i.e., 0.25 ppb B1, 0.5 ppb G1, and 0.2 ppb B2 and G2. Multiple assays of 5 samples of naturally contaminated peanut butters containing total aflatoxins (B1 + B2 + G1 + G2) at levels of 1, 2, 3, 9, and 17 ppb gave intralaboratory coefficients of variation of 7, 4, 4, 11, and 3%, respectively. Samples spiked at levels of 5, 9, and 17 ppb total aflatoxins showed recoveries of 79, 81, and 81%, respectively.