Simultaneous Determination of Ractopamine,Chloramphenicol, and Zeranols in Animal-Originated Foods by LC-MS/MS Analysis with Immunoaffinity Clean-up Column

A novel analytical method employing immunoaffinity column (IAC) clean-up coupled with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed for simultaneous determination of ractopamine, chloramphenicol, and zeranols (α-zearalanol, β-zearalanol, zearalanone, α-zearalenol, β-zearalenol, and zearalenone) in animal-originated foods. The sample was first digested by β-glucuronidase/sulfatase and then extracted with ethyl acetate-diethyl ether (9:1, v/v). The extracted solution was evaporated to dryness and then the residue was dissolved by 2 mL of 50% acetonitrile solution. After filtration, 1 mL filtrate was diluted to 10 mL with PBS. The reconstituted solution was cleaned up with immunoaffinity column and then analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The established method was shown to be sensitive efficient and reliable as indicated by the linearity (r ² ≥ 0.9994), precision (RSD ≤ 1.7%), average recovery (72.3–103.2%), and the limit of detection (0.05–0.10 μg/kg). The method can be used for determination of trace residues of ractopamine, chloramphenicol, and zeranols in animal-originated foods.     

超高效液相色谱-串联质谱法测定牛奶中24 种真菌毒素

运用基质分散固相萃取净化,建立牛奶中24 种真菌毒素（黄曲霉毒素B1、黄曲霉毒素B2、黄曲霉毒素G1、黄曲霉毒素G2、黄曲霉毒素M1、赭曲霉毒素A、玉米赤霉烯酮、玉米赤霉酮、α-玉米赤霉烯醇、β-玉米赤霉烯醇、α-玉米赤霉醇、β-玉米赤霉醇、T-2毒素、HT-2霉素、伏马毒素B1、伏马毒素B2、伏马毒素B3、脱氧雪腐镰刀菌烯醇、3-乙酰脱氧雪腐镰刀菌烯醇、15-乙酰脱氧雪腐镰刀菌烯醇、交链孢霉单甲基醚、交链孢酚、腾毒素、细交链孢菌酮酸）多残留检测的超高效液相色谱-串联质谱检测方法。样品经80%乙腈溶液（体积分数）提取,通过基质分散固相萃取净化,氮吹至近干,1 mL 50%乙腈溶液（体积分数）复溶,采用超高效液相色谱-串联质谱进行测定。经ACQUITY UPLC HSS T3反相柱（2.1 mm×100 mm,1.8 μm）分离,梯度洗脱,采用电喷雾离子源-多反应监测模式采集。24 种目标物的相关系数（R2）均大于0.985,加标回收率为71.0%～123.0%,相对标准偏差均小于10%。该方法具有操作简单、重复性好、灵敏度高、杂质干扰小等特点,可以用于牛奶中24 种真菌毒素的检测。     

免疫亲和柱-高效液相色谱法测定牛奶中氯霉素和玉米赤霉醇及其类似物

建立免疫亲和柱同时净化-高效液相色谱法测定牛奶中氯霉素和玉米赤霉醇及其类似物（α-玉米赤霉醇、β-玉米赤霉醇、α-玉米赤霉烯醇、β-玉米赤霉烯醇、玉米赤霉酮和玉米赤霉烯酮）残留量的方法。样品经免疫亲和柱净化与富集后,用高效液相色谱-紫外检测器检测。采用Cloversil-C18反相柱分离,流动相为乙腈-甲醇-水溶液,检测波长为265 nm。结果表明,牛奶中添加氯霉素和玉米赤霉醇及其类似物的回收率在74%～101%,且相对标准偏差均小于7%。氯霉素的检出限为0.02 μg/L,玉米赤霉醇及其类似物的检出限分别为α-玉米赤霉醇0.03 μg/L、β-玉米赤霉醇0.03 μg/L、α-玉米赤霉烯醇0.03 μg/L、β-玉米赤霉烯醇0.03 μg/L、玉米赤霉酮0.04 μg/L和玉米赤霉烯酮0.05 μg/L。该方法灵敏度高、重复性好,提高了检测速率,可满足牛奶样品中痕量氯霉素和玉米赤霉醇及其类似物残留的测定。     

LC–MS/MS multi-method for mycotoxins after single extraction,with validation data for peanut,pistachio, wheat,maize, cornflakes,raisins and figs

Mycotoxin analysis is usually carried out by high performance liquid chromatography after immunoaffinity column cleanup or in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay tests. These methods normally involve determination of single compounds only. EU legislation already exists for the aflatoxins, ochratoxin A and patulin in food, and legislation will come into force for deoxynivalenol, zearalenone and the fumonisins in 2007. To enforce the various legal limits, it would be preferable to determine all mycotoxins by routine analysis in different types of matrices in one single extract. This would also be advantageous for HACCP control purposes. For this reason, a multi-method was developed with which 33 mycotoxins in various products could be analysed simultaneously. The mycotoxins were extracted with an acetonitrile/water mixture, diluted with water and then directly injected into a LC–MS/MS system. The mycotoxins were separated by reversed-phase HPLC and detected using an electrospray ionisation interface (ESI) and tandem MS, using MRM in the positive ion mode, to increase specificity for quality control. The following mycotoxins could be analysed in a single 30-min run: Aflatoxins B₁, B₂, G₁ and G₂, ochratoxin A, deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, T-2 toxin, HT-2 toxin, α-zearalenol, α-zearalanol, β-zearalanol, sterigmatocystin, cyclopiazonic acid, penicillic acid, fumonisins B₁, B₂ and B₃, diacetoxyscirpenol, 3- and 15-acetyl-deoxynivalenol, zearalanone, ergotamin, ergocornin, ergocristin, α-ergocryptin, citrinin, roquefortin C, fusarenone X, nivalenol, mycophenolic acid, alternariol and alternariol monomethyl ether. The limit of quantification for the aflatoxins and ochratoxin A was 1.0 µg kg^?1 and for deoxynivalenol 50 µg kg^?1. The quantification limits for the other mycotoxins were in the range 10–200 µg kg^?1. The matrix effect and validation data are presented for between 13 and 24 mycotoxins in peanuts, pistachios, wheat, maize, cornflakes, raisins and figs. The method has been compared with the official EU method for the determination of aflatoxins in food and relevant FAPAS rounds. The multi-mycotoxin method has been proven by the detection of more than one mycotoxin in maize, buckwheat, figs and nuts. The LC–MS/MS technique has also been applied to baby food, which is subject to lower limits for aflatoxin B₁ and ochratoxin A, ergot alkaloids in naturally contaminated rye and freeze-dried silage samples.     

免疫亲和净化-超高效液相色谱-串联质谱法测定食品中玉米赤霉烯酮类真菌毒素

建立食品中6种玉米赤霉烯酮类(α-玉米赤霉醇、β-玉米赤霉醇、α-玉米赤霉烯醇、β-玉米赤霉烯醇、玉米赤霉酮、玉米赤霉烯酮)真菌毒素的免疫亲和净化-超高效液相色谱-串联质谱检测的实验方法。样品经80%乙腈溶液提取,通过免疫亲和柱净化富集,用2 mL乙腈洗脱,氮吹至近干,0.5 mL 50%乙腈溶液复溶,采用超高效液相色谱-串联质谱进行测定。在ACQUITY UPLC HSS T3反相柱上分离,梯度洗脱,流动相为乙腈和水,质谱采集模式为电喷雾负离子多反应监测模式。6种目标物的线性范围为0.1~100μg/L,相关系数(R~2)均大于0.992,检出限为0.05μg/kg,定量限为0.2μg/kg,3个不同水平的加标平均回收率为73.0%~119.1%,相对标准偏差不大于10%。该方法具有操作简单、重复性好、灵敏度高、杂质干扰小等特点,可以用于食品中玉米赤霉烯酮类真菌毒素的检测。     

Validation and application of a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry based method for the assessment of the co-occurrence of mycotoxins in maize silages from dairy farms in NW Spain

The first objective of this study was the validation of an efficient multi-analyte method for the simultaneous detection and quantification of mycotoxins in maize silage, by reverse-phase liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionisation triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC-HESI-MS/MS). A simple liquid/solid extraction was performed either with clean-up on Mycospin 400 columns or without any clean-up. Almost all the target mycotoxins showed highly-suppressed signals in the presence of a matrix, emphasising the need to quantitate mycotoxins by means of matrix-matched calibrations. An alternative validation method based on ISO 11843 and on a single factor balanced design was implemented. The achieved average recoveries from spiked samples at three levels ranged from 60% to 122% with relative standard deviations (rsd) below 11%. Limits of Detection (LODs) and Limits of Quantification (LOQs) were between 0.02–17.1 µg kg^?1 and 0.06–57 µg kg^?1. The calculated repeatability and within-lab reproducibility ranged from 5.2 to 23.2% and from 7.2 to 23.9%, respectively. Finally, the decision limit and detection capacity, CCα and CCβ, were calculated for all mycotoxins having regulated/recommended contents in feed. The validated method was applied to 148 samples collected over two years in 19 dairy farms from Galicia (NW Spain). Of the analysed samples, 62% contained at least one mycotoxin. Zearalenone (ZEA), deoxynivalenol (DON), fumonisins B1 and B2, roquefortine C, α-zearalenol, β-zearalenol, enniatins B and B1, andrastin A, marcfortine A, verruculogen and mycophenolic acid were quantified, the highest average detection frequency being for enniatin B (51%). DON, mycophenolic acid and ZEA plus metabolites (α-zearalenol, β-zearalenol) were the most abundant mycotoxins.     

Determination of type B trichothecenes and macrocyclic lactone mycotoxins in field contaminated maize

A sensitive, reliable liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) method for determining some commonly found mycotoxins produced by Fusarium strains in maize was evaluated and applied to field samples. The selected substances were: trichothecenes B (nivalenol, deoxynivalenol, fusarenon X, 3- and 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol) and some macrocyclic lactones (zearalenone, α- and β-zearalenol, zearalanone, α- and β-zearalanol). Analytes were extracted from a 1 g sample by homogenization with acetonitrile/water (75:25, v/v, 25 mL final volume). 5 mL of crude extracts was cleaned-up on Carbograph-4 cartridges. Two fractions were obtained and were analyzed by HPLC-electrospray ionization (ESI) in negative mode. Recoveries for spiked maize samples were in the range 79–106% and method detection limits (MDLs) were ⩽6 ng/g for all compounds, except fusarenon X (12 ng/g). 25 random maize samples were analyzed both by the ELISA-based methods specific for deoxynivalenol and zearalenone and by this method for trichothecenes B and macrocyclic lactones. Results were comparable for zearalenone (R² = 0.982), but disagreed for deoxynivalenol. Finally, a total of 78 freshly harvested maize samples, collected from central and northern Italy during 2002, and divided in two different experiments, were analyzed by the developed method. Data show that there exists a phenomenon of random contamination from the target fusariotoxins just before harvest and an increase of trichothecene B and zearalenone abundance on field crop possibly related to damp climate, temperature range and delayed harvest period. Deoxynivalenol was the most abundant (up to 3430 ng/g) and frequent mycotoxin (40%) detected, followed by acetyldeoxynivalenol. Derivatives of zearalenone were present in traces and β-zearalanol was never found.     

The UPLC–ESI–QqQLIT–MS/MS method for quantitative determination of phytochemicals in ethanolic extracts of different parts of eight Ficus species: Development and validation

Ficus and validation of the ultra performance liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization hybrid triple quadrupole–linear ion trap–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC–ESI–QqQ_LIT–MS/MS) method in a multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM) mode for the quantitative determination of 19 phytochemicals. The chromatographic separation of targeted phytochemicals was performed using the Waters ACQUITY UPLC BEH? C18 column (1.7 μm, 2.1 mm × 50 mm) with 0.1% formic acid with water and acetonitrile as a mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.25 mL/min. The validation parameters showed the overall recoveries from 95.78?101.44% (RSD ≤ 3.25%), precision (intra-day: RSD ≤ 2.96%; inter-day: RSD ≤ 2.89%), linearity (R² ≥ 0.9982), limit of detection (8.60 × 10^–10?2.18 × 10^–6 mg/mL), and the limit of quantitation (2.60 × 10^–9–6.63 × 10^–6 mg/mL) in the concentration range from 0.5 to 1000 × 10^–6 mg/mL. This method was successfully applied in ethanolic extracts of different parts (fruits, leaves, and barks) of selected eight Ficus species. Quinic acid was predominant followed by rutin and chlorogenic acid among the studied nineteen phytochemicals. Ficus benjamina showed the maximum total content in fruits and leaves. The UPLC–ESI–QqQ_LIT–MS/MS method combined with principal component analysis (PCA) was successfully used for Ficus species discrimination on the basis of the contents of 15 compounds. The UPLC–ESI–QqQ_LIT–MS/MS method combined with PCA could be used for quality control.     

Occurrence of beauvericin and enniatins in wheat flour and corn grits on the Japanese market,and their co-contamination with type B trichothecene mycotoxins

The contamination levels of beauvericin and four enniatins, A, A₁, B and B₁, in 207 samples of wheat flour and corn grits on the Japanese market were determined by an analytical method based on LC-MS/MS. The toxins were extracted from samples with acetonitrile–water (85:15, v/v) and then purified with C18 cartridges. The method was validated in a single laboratory using spiked samples at two levels; the recovery of the five toxins ranged from 91.1% to 113.8%. Enniatin B was frequently detected in imported wheat flour (81.8%) and domestic wheat flour (85.6%), and the highest concentration of enniatin B was present in a domestic wheat sample (633 μg kg^?1). In corn grits, beauvericin was found in 34% of the samples, but enniatins were not detected at all. The maximum concentration of beauvericin in corn grits was 26.1 μg kg^?1. Deoxynivalenol and nivalenol in the same samples were determined by a method using an immunoaffinity column. Co-contamination of deoxynivalenol and enniatins was observed in 61% of the imported wheat samples and in 58% of the domestic wheat samples. These results suggest the need for a risk assessment for cyclic depsipeptide mycotoxins in Japan and a study on the synergistic effect of deoxynivalenol and enniatins.     

玉米赤霉烯酮多克隆抗体的制备及特性分析

合成玉米赤霉烯酮半抗原,应用液相色谱-质谱联用法进行鉴定,并采用活泼酯法将半抗原与载体蛋白OVA或BSA偶联,分别作为免疫原或包被原,并通过SDS-聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳(SDS-PAGE)和紫外扫描法鉴定偶联效果,免疫3只BALB/c小鼠,制备玉米赤霉烯酮多克隆抗体。结果表明:抗血清效价最高达1∶32 000,以此多抗建立的玉米赤霉烯酮间接竞争标准曲线IC50为39.8ng/mL,IC10为0.71ng/mL,多抗与玉米赤霉烯酮类似物β-zearalenol、zear-alanone、α-zearalanol、β-zearalanol交叉反应率分别为4.80%,3.07%,0.96%,0.09%。说明试验成功制备了玉米赤霉烯酮人工抗原及高特异性多克隆抗体。     

Simultaneous HPLC–DAD quantification of vitamins A and E content in raw,pasteurized, and UHT cow’s milk and their changes during storage

An improved extraction and HPLC method for the simultaneous extraction and quantitation of retinol, α-tocopherol, α-tocotrienol, and β-carotene was developed to analyze commercial whole/semi-skim/skim samples of raw/pasteurized/UHT milk in transparent plastic/glass bottles and Tetra Brik? containers. The sample preparation method required prior saponification at 40 °C for 15 min followed by n-hexane extraction. An isocratic acetonitrile/methanol (65:35 v/v) mobile phase, C₁₈ analytical column, and UV detector were chosen for HPLC quantification. The liposoluble vitamin content in raw, pasteurized conventional/organic, and UHT milk ranged 0.055–5.540 (retinol), 0.135–1.410 (α-tocopherol), and 0.040–0.850 mg/L (β-carotene). No significant differences (p > 0.05) were observed on losses of retinol, α-tocopherol, and β-carotene content in UHT whole milk after 5 days at 4 °C in the dark. After 14 days at 4 °C in the dark, the contents of retinol, α-tocopherol, and β-carotene remained higher in milk with higher fat content and were higher in unopened containers. In UHT whole milk, samples containing 0.02 % NaN₃, retinol (33 %), and α-tocopherol (11 %) but not β-carotene (2 %) decreased significantly (p < 0.05).     

Simultaneous Determination of Aflatoxins and Ochratoxin A in Bee Pollen by Low-Temperature Fat Precipitation and Immunoaffinity Column Cleanup Coupled with LC-MS/MS

A simple and sensitive method has been developed for simultaneous determination of aflatoxins (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, and AFG2) and ochratoxin A (OTA) in bee pollen. The analytes in the sample were extracted with a mixture of acetonitrile/water (60:40, v/v), using low temperature for fat precipitation, followed by immunoaffinity column cleanup of extracts. The mycotoxins were quantified using liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) with an electrospray ionization (ESI) and a triple quadrupole (QqQ) analyzer. Matrix effect, accuracy, and precision were evaluated and achieved good results calculated by matrix-matched calibration standards which reduced the influence of matrix effect. Recoveries at three levels were in the range of 74.3–96.5 % with RSD less than 10.0 %. The correlation coefficients (r ²) of the five mycotoxins were higher than 0.997. The method showed high sensitivity with LOD below 0.05 μg/kg.     

Analysis of sterigmatocystin in cereals,animal feed,seeds, beer and cheese by immunoaffinity column clean-up and HPLC and LC-MS/MS quantification

A method is reported for the analysis of sterigmatocystin in various food and feed matrices using a commercial sterigmatocystin immunoaffinity column (IAC) for sample clean-up prior to HPLC analysis by UV with mass spectrometric detection (LC-MS/MS). Cereals (wheat, oats, rye, maize and rice), sunflower seeds and animal feed were spiked with sterigmatocystin at levels from 0.75 to 50 µg kg^?1 to establish method performance. Using acetonitrile/water extraction followed by IAC clean-up, and analysis by HPLC with detection at 325 nm, recoveries ranged from 68% to 106%, with repeatability from 4.2% to 17.5%. The limit of quantification with UV detection in these matrices was 1.5 µg kg^?1. For the analysis of beer and cheese the sample preparation prior to IAC clean-up was changed to accommodate the different properties of the matrix, prior to analysis by LC-MS/MS. For beer and cheese spiked at 5.0 µg kg^?1 the recoveries were 94% and 104%, and precision (RSDs) were 1.9% and 2.9% respectively. The limits of quantification by LC-MS/MS in beer and cheese were 0.02 and 0.6 µg kg^?1 respectively. The sterigmatocystin IAC was demonstrated to provide an efficient clean-up of various matrices to enable this mycotoxin to be determined by either HPLC with UV detection or LC-MS/MS.     

Simultaneous and confirmative detection of multi-residues of β2-agonists and β-blockers in urine using LC-MS/MS/MS coupled with β-receptor molecular imprinted polymer SPE clean-up

A liquid chromatography–linear ion-trap spectrometry (LC-MS³) method using β-receptor molecular-imprinted polymer (MIP) solid-phase extraction (SPE) as clean-up was developed to determine simultaneously and confirmatively residues of 25 β₂-agonists and 21 β-blockers in urine samples. Urine samples were subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis by β-glucoronidase/arylsulphatase, and then extracted with perchloric acid. Sample clean-up was performed using β-receptor MIP SPE. A Supelco Ascentis^® express Rp-Amide column was used to separate the analytes, and MS³ detection used an electrospray ionisation source in positive-ion mode. Recovery studies were carried out using blank urine samples fortified with the 46 analytes at the levels of 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 μg l^–1. Recoveries were obtained ranging from 60.1% to 109.9% with relative standard deviations (RSDs, n = 7) from 0.5% to 19.4%. The limits of detection (LODs) and limits of quantitation (LOQs) of the 46 analytes in urine were 0.02–0.18 and 0.05–0.60 μg l^–1, respectively. As a result of the selective clean-up by MIP SPE and MS³ detection of the target drugs, the sensitivity and accuracy of the present method was high enough for monitoring β₂-agonist and β-blocker residues in urine samples. Satisfactory results were obtained in the process of the determination of positive urine samples.     

Determination of Ochratoxin A in Cereals and Feeds by Ultra-performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled to Tandem Mass Spectrometry with Immunoaffinity Column Clean-up

This paper describes the preparation of reusable immunoaffinity columns and the development of an ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method combined with immunoaffinity column clean-up (IAC-UPLC-MS/MS) for the determination of ochratoxin A (OTA) in cereals and feeds. The monoclonal antibody (mAb) was produced from a stable hybridoma cell line (4H10), which belongs to the immunoglobulin G1 (κ-light chain) isotype. A competitive indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to characterize the mAb. The concentrations causing 50 % inhibition of binding of mAb to OTA-ovalbumin by free OTA, ochratoxin B, and ochratoxin C were 1.29, 4.78, and 0.94 ng mL^?1, respectively. The IAC-UPLC-MS/MS method offers a limit of quantification (LOQ, S/N >10) ranging from 0.5 to 1.0 μg kg^?1 and a limit of detection (LOD, S/N >3) ranging from 0.2 to 0.3 μg kg^?1 in cereal and feed samples. The IAC-UPLC-MS/MS method offers a good LOQ and LOD for OTA in cereal and feed samples. The accuracy and precision at this level fall within the EU regulatory limit. This methodology has been validated in four different matrices (millet, maize, soybean, and swine finisher diet) with highly satisfactory results and applied to the analysis of samples collected from the markets.     

A New Method for Determination of α-Tocopherol in Tropical Fruits by Ultra Performance Convergence Chromatography with Diode Array Detector

A new method for the analysis of α-tocopherol in tropical fruits by ultra performance convergence chromatography (UPC²) was developed for the first time. Five varieties of tropical fruit samples were separately saponified under classical heating and extracted with ether. The extracted α-tocopherol was separated on a BEH column, with a mobile phase consisting of CO₂ and methanol, with a gradient elution (99:1 to 90:10), and detected with diode array detector at 293 nm. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were about 60.0 and 103.3 ng, respectively. This method was considered to be simple, fast and reliable, and successfully applied to analysis of α-tocopherol in tropical fruits. The values of α-tocopherol in pitaya, jackfruit, durians, mango, and papaya ranged from 0.16 to 0.45 mg/100 g dry weight in edible portion. Recovery rates obtained by the standard addition method on these tropical fruit samples ranged from 95.4 to 101.4 % with high repeatability (RSD, 1.2–2.6 %).     

Simultaneous detection of 15 antibiotic growth promoters in bovine muscle,blood and urine by UPLC-MS/MS

ABSTRACT

An analytical method was established for the rapid detection of antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) in bovine muscle, and bovine blood and bovine urine, using ultra high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). After the addition of an aqueous solution of EDTA-Na₂, the pH of bovine urine samples was directly adjusted to 5.2 by acetic acid-ammonium acetate and purified by HLB solid-phase extraction cartridge; bovine muscle and bovine blood samples processing were extracted with acetonitrile (ACN) and ACNwater (90:10; v/v) without any purification step. The samples were then centrifuged, concentrated and analysed by UPLC-MS/MS on an ACQUITY UPLC® BEH C18 column using gradient elution. The developed method was validated and mean recovery percentages at three spiked levels were 74–119%, 76–115% and 76–119%, respectively, in bovine muscle, bovine blood, and bovine urine. The relative standard deviation (RSD) ranged from 1.0% to 14.7% in spiked bovine muscle, bovine blood and bovine urine. The limits of detection (LOD) of all analytes were in the ranges 0.11–3.82 µg kg^?1, 0.10–2.49 µg kg^?1 and 0.06–4.53 µg kg^?1 in bovine muscle, bovine blood, and bovine urine, respectively. The method was sensitive, accurate and was applied to monitor real samples. To the best of our knowledge, this is first method available for simultaneous determination of several classes of APGs in bovine muscle, and bovine blood and bovine urine.     

Aflatoxin evaluation in ready-to-eat brazil nuts using reversed-phase liquid chromatography and post-column derivatisation

A high-performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence (HPLC-FD) method for aflatoxin quantification in brazil nuts was developed. Samples of brazil nuts collected in Brazilian markets were extracted with methanol:water and cleaned using an immunoaffinity column. Aflatoxins were eluted with methanol and a post-column derivatisation was performed with bromine, using a Kobra Cell system. The optimised method for total aflatoxins was sensitive, with detection and quantification limits of 0.05 and 0.25 µg kg^–1, respectively. The method was accurate, with recovery values of 87.6%; 85.3% and 85.0% for 0.5, 5.0 and 14.6 µg kg^–1 spiked levels, respectively. It was shown that the method was applicable to brazil nuts. From a total of 95 brazil nut samples analysed from 21 São Paulo supermarket samples and 51 Manaus and 23 Belém street markets samples, 37.9% showed detectable levels of aflatoxins and three exceeded the recommended Codex Alimentarius limit of 10 µg kg^–1 for ready-to-eat brazil nuts.     

Simultaneous Determination of Aflatoxin B1, Bisphenol A,and 4-Nonylphenol in Peanut Oils by Liquid-Liquid Extraction Combined with Solid-Phase Extraction and Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

An analytical method based on liquid-liquid extraction combined with solid-phase extraction and isotope dilution-ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) was well developed for simultaneous determination of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), bisphenol A (BPA), and 4-nonylphenol (4-NP) in peanut oil. After adding isotope internal standards, the samples were firstly diluted by normal hexane and then extracted by acetonitrile and Carb/PSA solid-phase extraction cartridge in sequence to obtain the extracted solution. All the extracted solution was merged and was subsequently dried to near dryness by a mild nitrogen stream. Three target analytes were separated on a Phenomenex Luna C18 chromatographic column, quantified by an internal standard method and detected by ESI positive (ESI⁺) and negative (ESI^?) subsection acquisition modes under multi-reaction monitoring (MRM) conditions. Results demonstrated that the three target analytes exhibited excellent linearity in their corresponding concentration ranges of 0.1–100.0 μg/L with correlation coefficients all greater than 0.998. The corresponding method limits of quantitation (MLOQ, S/N?=?10) of AFB1, BPA, and 4-NP were 0.2, 1.0, and 2.0 μg/kg, respectively. Moreover, the mean recoveries for negative samples spiked at three concentration levels were calculated between 87.7 and 105.1% with relative standard deviation (RSD, n?=?6) ranging from 2.2 to 7.9% and the interday precision (n?=?5) ranging from 5.0 to 8.7%. Finally, the method was successfully applied to analyze 52 peanut oil samples, and AFB1 and 4-NP were detected in 43 samples with the concentrations in the ranges of 0.5–69.4 and 9.3–77.8 μg/kg, respectively. None of BPA was detected in any samples.     

Measurement of ampicillin residue levels in chicken eggs during and after medicated feed administration by LC-MS/MS

A simple and sensitive LC-MS/MS method was developed and validated for the determination of ampicillin (ABPC) in chicken eggs. Residues were extracted by reverse-phase solid-phase extraction. Chromatographic separation was performed using a reverse-phase column with an elution gradient. The limits of detection and quantification were 0.01 and 0.1 ng g^?1, respectively. For the 0.1–50 ng g^?1 concentration range, mean recovery and accuracy values were 93.9–98.5% and 100.2–118.0%, respectively. ABPC residue concentrations in eggs before, during and after 7 days of medicated feeding of maximum dosage (40 mg kg^?1 body weight day^?1) of ABPC were determined with the LC-MS/MS method. The maximum concentration of ABPC in eggs was 3.6 ± 1.7 ng g^?1 (mean ± SD) on the last day of the administration period. Residue concentrations of ABPC in eggs during and after ABPC administration were not over the Japanese maximum residue limit of 0.01 mg kg^?1.