Simultaneous determination of six resorcylic acid lactones in feed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and multi-walled carbon nanotubes as a dispersive solid phase extraction sorbent.

A simple and cost-effective pre-treatment procedure was developed for six resorcylic acid lactones (RALs) in feed using dispersive solid phase extraction (dSPE) with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The sample was analysed after purification by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-negative electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS). After extraction with acetonitrile/water (80:20, v/v) and dilution with water, a dSPE procedure was carried out with MWCNTs. The pH value of the extract, the extraction time for MWCNTs, the type and amount of MWCNTs and the type of eluent were optimised to increase the sample throughput and the sensitivity. The samples were quantified using the internal standard zearalenone-D6. The absolute recoveries of the target compounds from feed samples were most efficient when using 100mg of MWCNTs with an outer diameter of less than 8nm and a length of 10-30µm, and ethyl acetate was shown to be the most suitable solvent for desorbing the target compounds from the MWCNTs. The mean recoveries from fortified swine mixed feed samples ranged from 95.3% to 107.2% and had relative standard deviations lower than 10%; the limits of detection and quantification for RALs were in the ranges of 0.20-0.29µg/kg and 0.54-0.78µg/kg, respectively.

Nanoporous PtCo-based ultrasensitive enzyme-free immunosensor for zeranol detection.

Nanoporous PtCo alloy was designed as an antibody carrier for preparation of a highly sensitive immunosensor. The immunosensor was constructed by assembling the capture zeranol antibody on thionine decorated graphene nanosheets modified glassy carbon electrode. With an enzyme-free immunosensor mode, the nanoporous PtCo alloy, synthesized by dealloying method, had shown strong electrocatalytic activity toward antigen-antibody reaction. The use of PtCo alloy carrier offered a high amount of antibody on each immunoconjugate, hence amplified the detectable signal from the electro-reaction of dissolved oxygen. Cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were used to characterize the recognition of zeranol. Due to the poor conductivity of zeranol, a small amount of zeranol immobilized onto the electrode could result in great change in the electron-transfer resistance. Some factors that would affect the performance of the immunosensor were studied, such as concentration of PtCo, pH, and the ratio of TH to GS. With zeranol concentration range (0.05 to 5.0 ng/mL), the immunosensor exhibited a highly sensitive response to zeranol with a detection limit of 13 pg/mL. The immunosensor was evaluated for bovine urine sample, receiving satisfactory results.

Confirmatory method for the determination of resorcylic acid lactones in urine sample using immunoaffinity cleanup and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

The presence of zeranol (alpha-zearalanol) in urine samples due to natural contamination or illegal treatment is under debate within the European Union. The simultaneous determination of zeranol, its epimer taleranol (beta-zearalanol), zearalanone and the structurally related mycotoxin zearalenone with the corresponding alpha- and beta-zearalenol metabolites appears to be critical in deciding whether an illegal use has occurred. The aim of this study is to develop and validate a simple analytical procedure applicable to bovine and swine urine samples for the determination of all six resorcylic acid lactones. After an enzymatic deconjugation, the urine was subjected to a one-step cleanup on a commercially available immunoaffinity chromatography cartridge. The analytes were detected by liquid chromatography-negative-ion electrospray tandem mass spectrometry using deuterium-labelled internal standards. The method was validated as a quantitative confirmatory method according to European Commission Decision 2002/657/EC. The evaluated parameters were: linearity, specificity, precision (repeatability and intra-laboratory reproducibility), recovery, decision limit, detection capability and ruggedness. The decision limits (CCalpha) obtained, were between 0.56 and 0.68 microgL(-1); recovery above 66% for all the analytes. Repeatability was between 1.4 and 5.3% and within-laboratory reproducibility between 1.9 and 16.1% for the six resorcylic acid lactones.

Molecularly imprinted polymers applied to the clean-up of zearalenone and alpha-zearalenol from cereal and swine feed sample extracts.

A molecularly imprinted polymer prepared using 1-allylpiperazine (1-ALPP) as the functional monomer, trimethyltrimethacrylate (TRIM) as the crosslinker and the zearalenone (ZON)-mimicking template cyclododecanyl-2,4-dihydroxybenzoate (CDHB) has been applied to the clean-up and preconcentration of this mycotoxin (zearalenone) and a related metabolite, alpha-zearalenol (alpha-ZOL), from cereal and swine feed sample extracts. The extraction of ZON and alpha-ZOL from the food samples was accomplished using pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) with MeOH/ACN (50:50, v/v) as the extraction solvent, at 50 degrees C and 1500 psi. The extracted samples were cleaned up and preconcentrated through the MIP cartridge and analyzed using HPLC with fluorescence detection (lambda (exc)=271/ lambda (em)=452 nm). The stationary phase was a polar endcapped C18 column, and ACN/MeOH/water 10/55/35 (v/v/v, 15 mM ammonium acetate) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL min(-1) was used as the mobile phase. The method was applied to the analysis of ZON and alpha-ZOL in wheat, corn, barley, rye, rice and swine feed samples fortified with 50, 100 and 400 ng g(-1) of both mycotoxins, and it gave recoveries of between 85 and 97% (RSD 2.1-6.7%, n=3) and 87-97% (RSD 2.3-5.6%, n=3) for alpha-ZOL and ZON, respectively. The method was validated using a corn reference material for ZON.

Preparative method for isolating alpha-zearalenol and zearalenone using extracting disk.

A liquid chromatographic method is described for the determination of zearalenol and zearalenone in corn. Zearalenol and zearalenone are extracted from corn with methanol-water (1 + 1) and cleaned up using a solid-phase extraction (SPE) disk, separated on a reversed-phase analytical column, and detected with a fluorescence detector. The SPE disk concentrated and cleanly separated zearalenol and zearalenone from sample interferences. Standard calibration curves for zearalenol and zearalenone for the concentration range 25-500 ng/mL were linear. The small extract disk had a column capacity equivalent to 1 g extracted corn. Zearalenol and zearalenone were added at levels ranging from 10 to 2000 ng/g to a control sample that contained no detectable levels of zearalenol and zearalenone. Both toxins were recovered from spiked samples at 106.3 and 103.8%, with coefficients of variation of 7.6 and 13.0%, respectively. The method has an estimated reliable limit of detection and limit of quantitation around 10 and 40 ng/g for each toxin, respectively.

Use of liquid chromatography in the synthesis of isoluminol-labeled medroxyprogesterone acetate and zeranol.

A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method for monitoring the syntheses of two isoluminol-labelled drugs, medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) and zeranol, has been developed. MPA and the ketone derivative of zeranol, zearalanone, were conjugated to N-(4-aminobutyl)-N-ethylisoluminol through the carboxymethyloxime derivative of the drug by using the N-succinimide ester as an intermediary. Reaction mixtures were sampled periodically and chromatographed directly by HPLC on a silica gel column, by using isocratic elution with mixtures of hexane-ethanol-acetic acid in several different proportions. The degree of reaction completion was determined by comparison of the peak area of the initial reactant to that present at sampling time. MPA oxime production was found to be complete after 15 min; 97.0% of the oxime was converted to succinimide ester in 24 h; 99.0% of the available ester reacted within 2.5 h to form the final labelled product. Zearalanone oxime production was found to be complete after 2 h; 93.3% of the oxime was converted to the activated ester within 24 h; 89.6% of available ester had reacted in 30 min to form the final labelled product. The chromatography can be performed in real time, permitting modification in the conditions of the reaction while in progress.

High performance liquid chromatographic separation of anabolic oestrogens and ultraviolet detection of 17 beta-oestradiol, zeranol, diethylstilboestrol or zearalenone in avian muscle tissue extracts.

A multi-residue analysis was developed to discern oestrogens (17 beta-oestradiol or zeranol) used as anabolic drugs and diethylstilboestrol (DES) from the mycotoxins zearalenone and zearalenol. A mixture of 17 beta-oestradiol, oestrone, DES, zeranol, zearalenol, zearalenone and zearalanone was analysed using a 5 micron silica column with gradient elution from hexane to hexane:methanol:2-propanol, 40:45:15 (v/v) and ultraviolet detection at 280 nm. Only six peaks were obtained since zearalenone and zearalanone had identical elution times. Minimum detectabilities were 5-10 ng for the standards. Chicken muscle tissues (2.5 g) were extracted with acetone:water (95:5, v/v). The extracts were spiked with oestradiol and zeranol at 50, 100 or 200 ppb; and DES or zearalenone at 50 ppb; cleaned-up through dual columns of basic alumina and phosphate exchanged AGMP-1 resin and analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection (HPLC-UV). Minimum detectability was 10 ng for oestradiol, zeranol, DES or zearalenone when tissues were spiked at 50 ppb. Recoveries were greater than or equal to 86%, greater than or equal to 83%, 60% and 100% for oestradiol, zeranol, DES and zearalenone, respectively.

Method for detecting production of zearalenone, zearalenol, T-2 toxin, and deoxynivalenol by Fusarium isolates.

Three methods for detecting toxigenic fusaria in culture were compared by using known producers of zearalenone, zearalenol, T-2 toxin, and deoxynivalenol. Moist, autoclaved rice cultures of known toxigenic isolates grown in 20-ml tubes yielded oily extracts containing compounds which interfered with qualitative and quantitative analysis for the mycotoxins. Vermiculite moistened with nutrient broth in 20-ml tubes yielded a much cleaner extract. Growing the fungi on a liquid medium required a shorter incubation period, but yields of T-2 toxin and deoxynivalenol were low and variable, and the method required greater space in the incubator. Screening of the extracts by thin-layer chromatography with colorimetric spray reagents to detect the presence of these toxins permitted reduction in the number of extracts quantified by the more lengthy gas-liquid chromatographic method. Culturing in nutrient broth on vermiculite in tubes coupled to a qualitative screen before quantitation proved to be a convenient, inexpensive, and relatively rapid method that enabled reliable screening of a large number of Fusarium isolates for toxin production as compared with prior methods.

alpha-Zearalenol, a major hepatic metabolite in rats of zearalenone, an estrogenic mycotoxin of Fusarium species.

The chemical and biological properties of the hepatic metabolite of zearalenone, an estrogenic and non-steroidal fungal toxin produced by Fusarium species, were investigated by employing TLC, GC/MS, high pressure liquid chromatography and fluorospectral analyses, as well as uterine weight bioassay in immature mice. All the chemical and physical data supported the view that the major metabolite, obtained by incubating zearalenone with S-9 and microsomes of rat liver in the presence of NADPH, is C-6'-alpha-hydroxylated zearalenone (alpha-zearalenol). The estrogenic activity of this metabolite was several times higher than that of the parent zearalenone, and the results of biological and toxicological evaluations of alpha-zearalenol are discussed.