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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Mississippi State, Mississippi » Crop Science Research Laboratory » Corn Host Plant Resistance Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #266368
Title: Effect of matrix clean-up for aflatoxin analysis in corn and dried distillers grains

Author
item MCDANIEL, A. - Mississippi State University
item RASMUSSEN, W. - Pickering Laboratories, Inc
item SPARKS, D. - Mississippi State University
item Williams, William
item HOLMES, W - Mississippi State University
item ARMBRUST, K. - Mississippi State University
item BROWN, A. - Mississippi State University

Submitted to: Scientific Research and Essays
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/28/2011
Publication Date: 12/1/2011
Citation: McDaniel, A., Holmes, W.E., Williams, P., Armbrust, K.L., Brown, A.E. 2011. Effect of matrix clean-up for alfatoxin analysis in corn and dried distillers grains. Scientific Research and Essays. 2:1-8.

Interpretive Summary: Contamination of corn grain with aflatoxin, which is produced by the fungus Aspergillus flavus, is a chronic threat to profitable corn production in the southern United States. This toxin causes cancer in humans and is toxic to livestock, pets, and wildlife. Corn with levels of aflatoxin exceeding 20 ppb is prohibited from interstate commerce. The production of aflatoxin from corn has increased in recent years. When ethanol is produced from aflatoxin-contaminated grain, aflatoxin is concentrated in the dried distillers grains. A comparison between the immunoaffinity SPE column and the Whatman filter paper showed that the SPE column was superior in cleanup capabilities. The difference between the two techniques was even more pronounced for dried distillers grains than corn grain. The results of the investigation will be useful in developing efficient procedures for aflatoxin detection.

Technical Abstract: Aflatoxins are a group of highly carcinogenic mycotoxins that contaminate a wide variety of agricultural crops. These toxins have a detrimental economic impact on such industries as corn and ethanol production. They are highly regulated by the FDA and as such, a rapid, reliable method with low detection limits is needed for aflatoxins in a wide array of matrixes. Therefore, we tested the viability of the new aflaCLEAN column from Pickering Laboratories as a cleanup for aflatoxins extracted from corn and dried distillers grains (DDGs) and analyzed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Percent recoveries for aflatoxins were acceptable for both corn and DDGs for aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, and G2. They are as follows: 44.5-82% for corn and 46-58% for DDGs. A comparison study between the aflaCLEAN column and Whatman filter paper was performed with the aflaCLEAN column showing greater cleanup capability.