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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Mycotoxin Prevention and Applied Microbiology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #297851

Title: Quantitation of aflatoxins from corn and other food related materials by direct analysis in real time - mass spectrometry (DART-MS)

Author
item Busman, Mark
item Maragos, Chris

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/8/2013
Publication Date: 11/8/2013
Citation: Busman, M., Maragos, C.M. 2013. Quantitation of aflatoxins from corn and other food related materials by direct analysis in real time - mass spectrometry (DART-MS). Meeting Abstract.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Ambient ionization coupled to mass spectrometry continues to be applied to new analytical problems, facilitating the rapid and convenient analysis of a variety of analytes. Recently, demonstrations of ambient ionization mass spectrometry applied to quantitative analysis of mycotoxins have been shown. Direct analysis in real time (DART) ionization is an ambient ionization technique that has shown great potential in the analysis of mycotoxins. In this study, DART ionization coupled to a high resolution mass spectrometer (MS) was used for screening of aflatoxins from a variety of surfaces and the rapid quantitative analysis of aflatoxins extracted from corn and other food related matrices. Sample preparation procedure and instrument parameter settings were optimized to obtain sensitive and accurate determination of aflatoxins. 84:16 acetonitrile / water extracts of corn deposited on paper substrate were analyzed by DART-MS. The lowest calibration level (LCL) for aflatoxin AFB1 was 4 µg/kg. Quantitative analysis was performed with the use of matrix-matched standards employing the 13C-labeled internal standard for AFB1. DART-MS of spiked corn extracts gave linear response of the range 4–1000 µg/kg. Good recoveries (94–110%) and repeatabilities (RSD 0.7–6.9%) were obtained at spiking levels of 20 and 100 µg/kg with use of an isotope dilution technique. Trueness of data obtained for AFB1 in maize by DART-MS was demonstrated by analysis of corn certified reference materials. Broad applicability of the DART-MS from paper substrate technique was demonstrated by adaptation to aflatoxin extracts from other food related matrices.