Trace elements and heavy metals in mineral and bottled drinking waters on the Iranian market

A survey of Iranian waters, sampled from 2010 to 2013, is presented. A total of 128 water samples from 42 different brands of bottled mineral and drinking water were collected and analysed for contamination levels of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), arsenic (As) and mercury (Hg). Determinations were performed using a graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometer for Pb, Cd and Cu, a hydride vapour generation as well as an Arsenator digital kit (Wagtech WTD, Tyne and Wear, UK) for As and a direct mercury analyser for Hg. Arsenic concentration in six bottled gaseous mineral samples was higher than the related limit. Regardless of these, mean concentrations of Pb, Cd, Cu, As and Hg in all types of water samples were 4.50 ± 0.49, 1.08 ± 0.09, 16.11 ± 2.77, 5.80 ± 1.63 and 0.52 ± 0.03 µg L^?1, respectively. Values obtained for analysed heavy metals in all samples were permissible according to the limits of national and international standards.     

Surfactant-Alumina-Coated Magnetic Nanoparticles as an Efficient Aldehydes Adsorbent Prior Their Determination by HPLC

Separation and determination of trace levels of low-molecular weight aldehydes are very important from water suppliers’ point of view. Modified magnetic nanoparticles can be used for this propose. Alumina-coated magnetic nanoparticles modified with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS/Al₂O₃/Fe₃O₄) are used for extraction of formaldehyde (FA) and acetaldehyde (AA) from drinking water samples. In this manner, the aldehydes were converted to their corresponding hydrazones by the reaction with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH). After preconcentration, the HPLC technique was used for the determination of the aldehydes and the results were compared with the commercial C₁₈ solid-phase extraction (SPE) columns. The results showed that the extraction with SDS/Al₂O₃/Fe₃O₄ is more efficient and faster than the commercial columns. A very good repeatability (RSD was 3.3 and 2.4% for FA and AA, respectively, n = 7, C = 50 ppb) was obtained. Linear regression analysis indicated that the responses for two investigated compounds were linear over about two orders of magnitude above the LOD (LOD was 3.6 ppb for FA and 3.2 ppb for AA), with correlation coefficients >0.9990. Determination of FA and AA in tap water and various brands of bottled waters were carried out using the modified nanoparticles. Based on the obtained results, the aldehyde content of the commercial bottled waters was particularly apparent after exposure to direct sunlight.     

Survey of bottled waters for perchlorate by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS) and ion chromatography (IC)

Perchlorate has been identified in ground and surface waters around the USA including some that serve as supplies for drinking water. Because perchlorate salts are used as solid oxidants in rockets and ordnance, water contamination may occur near military or aerospace installations or defense industry manufacturing facilities. This ion has been added to the Environmental Protection Agency's Contaminant Candidate List and the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. Concern over perchlorate has prompted many residents in affected areas to switch to bottled water; however, bottled waters have not previously been examined for perchlorate contamination. Should the EPA promulgate a regulation for municipal water systems, US law requires the Food and Drug Administration to take action on bottled water. Methods will therefore be required to determine perchlorate concentrations not only in tap water, but also in bottled waters. Ion chromatography (IC) is the primary technique used for its analysis in drinking water, but it does not provide a unique identification. Confirmation by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS) can serve in this capacity. The ESI‐MS method can be applied to these products, but it requires an understanding of matrix effects, especially of high ionic strength that can suppress electrospray. When using methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) as the extraction solvent, the ESI‐MS method can reach lower limits of detection of 6 ng ml ⁻¹ for some bottled waters. However, dilution required to negate ionic strength effects in mineral waters can raise this by a factor of 10 or more, depending on the sample. Decyltrimethylammonium cation (added as the bromide salt) is used to produce an ion pair that is extracted into MIBK. After extraction, the sum of the peak areas of the ions C₁₀H₂₁NMe₃(Br)(ClO₄)⁻ (m/z = 380) and C₁₀H₂₁NMe₃(ClO₄)₂⁻ (m/z = 400) is used to quantitate perchlorate. Standard additions are used to account for most of the matrix effects. In this work, eight domestic brands and eight imported brands of bottled water were comparatively analyzed by the two techniques. For comparison, a finished potable water known to contain perchlorate was also tested. None of the bottled waters were found to contain any perchlorate within the lower limit of detection for the IC method. Recoveries on spiked samples subjected to the IC method were ≥98%. Published in 2000 for SCI by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd     

Rapid and sensitive detection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in bottled water by loop-mediated isothermal amplification

A loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for the rapid detection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in bottled water was developed and evaluated. Four primers, including two outer primers and two inner primers, were specially designed by targeting the ecfX gene. The LAMP assay showed high specificity, with no false-positive or false-negative results among the 108 bacterial strains tested, including 81 strains of P. aeruginosa. The detection limit in pure culture was 15.7 CFU/mL, which is approximately 100-fold more sensitive than that of ecfX-PCR. In artificially contaminated water samples spiked with low level (3.1 CFU/250 mL) of P. aeruginosa, the LAMP assay could detect the target organisms accurately after 10 h of enrichment, in contrast to 12 h of enrichment for ecfX-PCR. In the case of bottled water samples, 9.17 % (10/109) of the samples were found to be positive by LAMP, which was in accordance with the results from GB 8538-2008 method. The LAMP assay established in this study is a simple, sensitive, and rapid protocol for the detection of P. aeruginosa. It provides an important diagnostic tool for the drinking water produce industry and regulatory agencies to better control potential risks associated with consumption of bottled water.     

A single method for recovery and concentration of enteric viruses and bacteria from fresh-cut vegetables

Fresh-cut vegetables are prone to be contaminated with foodborne pathogens during growth, harvest, transport and further processing and handling. As most of these products are generally eaten raw or mildly treated, there is an increase in the number of outbreaks caused by viruses and bacteria associated with fresh vegetables. Foodborne pathogens are usually present at very low levels and have to be concentrated (i.e. viruses) or enriched (i.e. bacteria) to enhance their detection. With this aim, a rapid concentration method has been developed for the simultaneous recovery of hepatitis A virus (HAV), norovirus (NV), murine norovirus (MNV) as a surrogate for NV, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella enterica. Initial experiments focused on evaluating the elution conditions suitable for virus release from vegetables. Finally, elution with buffered peptone water (BPW), using a Pulsifier, and concentration by polyethylene glycol (PEG) precipitation were the methods selected for the elution and concentration of both, enteric viruses and bacteria, from three different types of fresh-cut vegetables by quantitative PCR (qPCR) using specific primers. The average recoveries from inoculated parsley, spinach and salad, were ca. 9.2%, 43.5%, and 20.7% for NV, MNV, and HAV, respectively. Detection limits were 132 RT-PCR units (PCRU), 1.5 50% tissue culture infectious dose (TCID₅₀), and 6.6 TCID₅₀ for NV, MNV, and HAV, respectively. This protocol resulted in average recoveries of 57.4%, 64.5% and 64.6% in three vegetables for E. coli O157:H7, L. monocytogenes and Salmonella with corresponding detection limits of 10³, 10² and 10³ CFU/g, respectively.Based on these results, it can be concluded that the procedure herein is suitable to recover, detect and quantify enteric viruses and foodborne pathogenic bacteria within 5 h and can be applied for the simultaneous detection of both types of foodborne pathogens in fresh-cut vegetables.     

Ion Chromatographic Determination of Free Cyanide in Different Classes of Bottled Natural Mineral Water Consumed in Turkey

An ion chromatographic method for the quantitative determination of free cyanide in bottled natural mineral waters were measured in terms of selectivity, linearity, the limit of detection, limit of quantification, repeatability, precision, and accuracy. Chromatographic separation of free cyanide ions was accomplished with an anion-exchange column and detected by pulsed amperometric detection with a silver working electrode. The method was found to be selective, linear (r² = 0.999) at a concentration range of 0.5 to 134 μg L^?1, precise, and accurate. Recovery values of free cyanide in all classes of natural mineral water varied from 65.9 ± 1.6 to 95.2 ± 0.7 at different spiking levels (5–70 μg L^?1). Parameters (total dissolved solids, mineral interferences, and added sodium hydroxide) affecting the recovery values were studied in this project. The limit of detection and limit of quantification were found to be 0.295 and 0.983 μg L^?1, respectively. The proposed method was applied to 27 different brands of commercially available bottled natural mineral water products sold in Turkish markets. These natural mineral waters were classified as: (i) very low mineral concentration, (ii) low mineral concentration, (iii) intermediate mineral concentration, and (iv) high mineral concentration based on their total dissolved solids contents according to European Union Directive (Directive 80/777/EEC). Levels of free cyanide residues in the samples ranged from > limit of detection to 6.12 μg L^?1. The highest average concentration of free cyanide residues was found in the class of “high mineral concentration waters.” However, the determined free cyanide values in all of the tested natural mineral water samples were found to be within the limits of European Union legislation.     

Development of Sensitive,Rapid, and Effective Immunoassays for the Detection of Vitamin B<Subscript>12</Subscript> in Fortified Food and Nutritional Supplements

An indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Ic-ELISA) method and lateral-flow immunochromatographic (ICA) strip assay method were developed for the detection of vitamin B₁₂ (four major forms, cyanocobalamin, hydroxocobalamin, adenosylcobalamin, and methylcobalamin) in different food products. The limit of detection and 50 % inhibitory concentration for the Ic-ELISA method were 0.065 and 0.43 ng/mL, respectively. The visual limit of detection and cutoff value for the lateral-flow ICA strip assay method were 1 and 4 ng/mL, respectively. For the detection of fortified food and nutritional supplements in vitamin tablets, energy drink, and infant milk powder samples, the recovery rates were in the range of 81 to 122 % for the Ic-ELISA method, and even the lowest content in infant milk powder was identified by the lateral-flow ICA strip assay. Therefore, both of these methods are sensitive, rapid, and effective and are suitable for the on-site detection and rapid screening of mass samples.     

Dispersive Liquid-Liquid Microextraction for the Determination of Emerging <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium</Emphasis> Mycotoxins in Water

A new method was optimized for the determination of emerging Fusarium mycotoxins enniatins (ENs) and beauvericin (BEA) in different types of water. Mycotoxin analysis was performed by dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) combined with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Mycotoxins were efficiently extracted from water into carbon tetrachloride by DLLME technique using acetonitrile as disperser solvent. Detection limits were in the range of 0.06–0.17 μg L^?1. Quantification was performed using matrix-matched calibration curves over a linear range from limit of quantification (LOQ) to 200 μg L^?1. Acceptable recoveries were obtained between 78.5 and 100.1 % with relative standard deviations of <14 %. The proposed method may be advised as an easy, sensitive, and accurate method for determining emerging Fusarium mycotoxins in water. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of different kinds of water. No detectable levels were achieved in surface, ground, tap, and bottled water. Concentration levels up to 50 μg L^?1 were detected in cooking water related to the pasta cooking process.     

重组酶聚合酶快速扩增法测定瓶(桶)装水中铜绿假单胞菌

目的建立重组酶聚合酶扩增法(recombinasepolymeraseamplification,RPA)检测瓶(桶)装水中铜绿假单胞菌(Pseudomonasaeruginosa)的分析方法。方法通过基因组DNA提取、RPA扩增反应方法对样品进行检测。结果该方法能够在20 min内特异地检测出铜绿假单胞菌,方法检出限为10 pg/μL铜绿假单胞菌基因组模板,对人工污染的水样最低检出限为36 CFU/mL,且重复性良好。结论本研究建立的RPA检测方法能特异、准确、高效地检测出铜绿假单胞菌,而且操作简单、耗时短,为瓶(桶)装水中铜绿假单胞菌的快速诊断提供技术参考。     

Determination of Benzalkonium Homologues and Didecyldimethylammonium in Powdered and Liquid Milk for Infants by Hydrophilic Interaction Liquid Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry

In this study, a hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (HILIC-MS/MS) method for the determination of benzalkonium (BAC) homologues and didecyldimethylammonium (DDAC) was developed. A satisfactory chromatographic separation of BAC homologues and DDAC was achieved using, as mobile phase, acetonitrile–aqueous 50 mM ammonium formate (pH 3.2) (93?+?7 v/v) at 0.3 mL min^?1. The elution order of BAC homologues was from benzyldimethylhexadecylammonium chloride (C₁₆-BAC) to benzyldimethyldecylammonium chloride (C₁₀-BAC), the exact opposite with respect to separation using reversed liquid chromatography. The instrumental method was successfully applied to powdered and liquid milk for infants (about 50 samples). From powdered milk samples, BAC and DDAC were extracted using 5 % formic acid in methanol for 60 min at 60 °C in an ultrasonic bath; after dilution with water and 5 % NH₄OH solution, a purification step using a weak cationic exchange column was performed. Satisfactory limit of detections (LODs) were achieved, below 1.0 μg kg^?1 and 0.05 μg L^?1 for powdered and liquid milk for infants, respectively. No sample was free of BAC homologues and DDAC, and in one powdered milk sample, the contamination level exceeded 500 μg kg^?1, the maximum level recommended by the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health for food and feed.     

Sensitive Determination of Bromate in Water Samples by Capillary Electrophoresis Coupled with Electromembrane Extraction

Electromembrane extraction (EME) as a novel sample preparation technique was firstly applied for the purification and enrichment of bromate (BrO₃ ^?) in drinking water prior to capillary zone electrophoresis with capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection (CZE-C⁴D). BrO₃ ^?, as the primary disinfection by-product of ozonation, could be well separated with the major inorganic anions coexisting in water samples using a 300 mmol L^?1 acetic acid solution as the running buffer. Under the optimum conditions, the calibration curve showed good linearity (r ²?=?0.996), and the limit of detection was down to 0.12 ng mL^?1 with the enrichment factor at 267. The relative standard deviation (RSD) values for peak area and migration time at a spiked concentration of 10 ng mL^?1 of bromate were below 8.8 and 2.5 %, respectively. This proposed EME-CZE-C⁴D method has been successfully applied to analyze bottled drinking water and tap water samples with recoveries in the range of 85~98 %, providing an alternative to the determination of bromate in drinking water.     

A Rapid Screening Method for the Tremorgenic Indole-Diterpene Alkaloid Mycotoxin Paxilline in Beer

The tremorgenic paxilline (PAX), an indole-diterpene alkaloid mycotoxin, was recently detected as a natural contaminant of ergot of barley and rye. To check the possibility of a transfer of this mycotoxin into beer, a rapid and sensitive immunochemical method for the analysis of PAX in commercial bottled beer was developed. A straightforward sample preparation procedure could be established, including degassing, pH adjustment, optional filtering, and finally a 1:5 dilution with a methanolic phosphate-buffered saline solution. Analysis of PAX was performed by a competitive indirect enzyme immunoassay (EIA). The detection limit at a cut-off value of 80% B/B₀ of the EIA standard curve was evaluated by analysis of spiked beer. PAX at levels of 3 μg/L and 5 μg/L yielded 69% and 100% positive results, therefore the detection limit in beer was at 5 μg/L. Recoveries of PAX at levels of 5–20 μg/L were 88–97%, coefficients of variation were 17–22%. With these characteristics, the EIA was considered to be a suitable screening method for PAX in beer. A survey of bottled beer from the German market was conducted which included 38 samples of domestic and international brands, the latter containing various flavoring ingredients. All samples were clearly negative for PAX, which indicates that this toxin is not a relevant contaminant in beer.     

Rapid Simultaneous Screening and Detection of 12 Anticoagulant Rodenticides in Food by Ultra-performance Liquid Chromatography-Triple Quadrupole/Linear Ion Trap Tandem Mass Spectrometry

A rapid analytical method for the simultaneous screening and detection of 12 anticoagulant rodenticides in food samples was established based on modified QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe) sample preparation method using an ultra-performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole/linear ion trap tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTrap-MS/MS). Food samples were extracted and purified with modified QuEChERS method. The 12 anticoagulant rodenticides (warfarin, brodifacoum, difethialone, coumachlor, coumatetralyl, bromadiolone, chlorophacinone, difenacoum, diphacinone, pindone, valone, and flocoumafen) and the internal standard (warfarin-D₅) were separated within 6 min using an ACQUITY UPLC BEH-C18 column (1.7 μm, 2.1 mm × 50 mm) and gradient elution with the mobile phase consisting of 5 mM ammonium acetate formate buffer and acetonitrile. The multiple reaction monitoring-information dependent acquisition-enhanced product ion (MRM-IDA-EPI) scanning was employed for detection. The calibration curves were linear (R ² > 0.99) for all the compounds. The mean recoveries for the 12 analytes at three spiked levels (1× LOQ, 5× LOQ, and 10× LOQ) were in the range of 79.5–113.2% with RSDs of 1.8–13.2%.The limits of detection (LOD) for the 12 rodenticides ranged from 0.01 (warfarin) to 0.05 μg/kg (diphacinone). The limit of quantification (LOQ) for the 12 rodenticides was between 0.02 (warfarin) and 0.10 μg/kg (diphacinone). The developed method was more straightforward, less time and labor intensive, and more sensitive, selective, and accurate for screening multiple anticoagulant rodenticides, and it was successfully used in several poisoning cases.     

Simultaneous Determination of Aflatoxin B1 and Aflatoxin M1 in Food Matrices by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay

Aflatoxins are a class of highly toxic chemical contaminants occurring in food. Consumption of aflatoxin-contaminated food can lead to harmful effects on human health. A rapid and reliable analysis of aflatoxins in food is crucial. In this study, we generated a broad–specific monoclonal antibody (MAb) 3 C10 against aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁). The MAb 3 C10 binds specifically to AFB₁ and AFM₁ and has a IC₅₀ of 0.13 μg L^?1 for AFB₁ and 0.16 μg L^?1 for AFM₁. Furthermore, the MAb showed high cross-reactivity to AFB₂, AFG₁, and AFG₂. To enable simultaneous AFB₁ and AFM₁ detection in different food matrices, an indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (icELISA) based on MAb 3 C10 has been developed and optimized. In addition, the extraction methods of different food matrices (peanut, corn, soybean, wheat flour, rice, soy sauce, vinegar, wine, raw milk, pure milk, skimmed milk, and yogurt) were established. The average recovery ranged from 73 to 121 %, with relative standard deviation values less than 15 %. The limit of detection was 0.52?+?0.36 μg kg^?1 (mean?+?3SD) for AFB₁ in eight agricultural products and 0.031?+?0.015 μg kg^?1 (mean?+?3SD) for AFM₁ in four dairy products. The sensitivity of icELISA was below the limit set by the European Commission for aflatoxin detection in different food matrices and similar to LC–MS/MS method. We demonstrate a rapid, simple, and reliable method for simultaneous screening of AFB₁ and AFM₁ in different food matrices.     

Development of high-throughput multi-residue method for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs monitoring in swine muscle by LC-MS/MS

A reliable and simple method for the detection and quantification of residues of 14 non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and a metamizole metabolite in swine muscle was developed using liquid chromatography-electrospray ionisation-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS). The samples were extracted with acetonitrile (ACN) in solid–liquid extraction followed by a low-temperature partitioning (LLE-LTP) process at –20 ± 2°C. After evaporation to dryness, the residue was reconstituted with hexane and a mixture of water:acetonitrile (1:1). LC separation was achieved on a reversed-phase (RP₁₈) column with gradient elution using water (phase A) and ACN (phase B) both containing 1 mmol l^–1 ammonium acetate (NH₄COO) with 0.025% acetic acid. Analysis was carried out on a triple-quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer (LC-MS/MS) in multiple reaction monitoring mode using an electrospray interface in negative and positive mode in a single run. Method validation was performed according to the criteria of Commission Decision No. 2002/657/EC. The matrix effect and linearity were evaluated. Decision limit (CCα), detection capability (CCβ), accuracy and repeatability of the method are also reported. The proposed method proved to be simple, easy and adequate for high-throughput analysis and was applied to routine analysis by the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply.     

Survey of bisphenol A in bottled water products in Canada

A method based on isotope dilution headspace solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry was used to assess levels of bisphenol A (BPA) in 56 samples of bottled water products sold in Canada. Levels of BPA in samples of all 51 non-polycarbonate (PC) bottled water products were lower than the method detection limit (0.50 µg l^–1). Levels of BPA in most bottled water products in PC carboys were low, ranging from <0.50 to 1.4 µg l^–1 with an average of 0.75 µg l^–1. However, BPA was detected at levels of 8.8 and 6.5 µg l^–1 in two bottles of the bottled water products in PC carboys from the same product analysed over a 5-week period, likely due to accidental or careless exposure of the products to heat (e.g. under the sun) during storage and/or transportation for extended periods of time.     

Determination of CO2 origin (natural or industrial) in sparkling bottled waters by 13C/12C isotope ratio analysis

This paper describes an isotope control method designed to identify the origin of CO₂ in sparkling bottled waters. The method is based on the analysis of the ¹³C/¹²C ratio in the dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) of carbonated bottled water. Natural carbonated natural water has δ¹³C_PDB (DIC) values between −8‰ and +7‰. Generally, the industrial carbon dioxide injected into mineral bottled water is produced from hydrocarbons by burning or chemical processing. Hydrocarbons, and their derived CO₂, are characterised by a low ¹³C/¹²C ratio. Thus, a single analysis distinguishes the carbon dioxide in the bottled water (i.e. either from a natural source or added exogenous CO₂ of industrial origin). Rarely, CO₂ can be obtained from other industrial sources, mainly as a by-product of fermentation plants. Nevertheless, the carbon isotope fingerprint allows detection of the industrial gas injected in most of these cases.     

Automated Magnetic Solid-Phase Extraction for Synthetic Food Colorant Determination

A new automated magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) method was developed and combined with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and spectrophotometry for off-line and on-line quantitative enrichment and determination of synthetic food colorants in food samples. Fe₃O₄-poly (ionic liquid) core-shell microspheres were prepared as a sorbent to quickly extract analytes from aqueous samples. The entire MSPE process, including extraction, separation, elution, and cleaning, was automated using common equipment. The main parameters affecting the performance of MSPE and the automated process, such as absorbent, sample pH, eluent, flow rate, elution time, etc., were investigated in detail. Under the optimum experimental conditions, the limits of detection ranged between 4.1 and 14 ng/mL by off-line HPLC and were 220 ng/mL for the determination of amaranth by on-line spectrophotometry, with excellent reproducibility (intra- and inter-day relative standard deviations were less than 3.2 %). The developed method was successfully applied to the determination of colorants in food samples.     

Specific Monoclonal Antibody-Based Enzyme Immunoassay for Sensitive and Reliable Detection of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alternaria</Emphasis> Mycotoxin Iso-Tenuazonic Acid in Food Products

In this paper, we report the development of a sensitive and specific monoclonal antibody-based immunodiagnostic method for the detection of iso-tenuazonic acid (ITeA), an Alternaria mycotoxin, in food samples. The ITeA was derivatized with hydrazine hydrate to produce the antigen (E)-3-(1-hydrazonoethyl)-4-hydroxy-5-isobutyl-1H-pyrrol-2(5H)-one (ITeAH) which was further reacted with glyoxalic acid to generate the hapten (E)-2-((Z)-(1-(4-hydroxy-5-isobutyl-2-oxo-2,5-dihydro-1H-pyrrol-3-yl)ethylidene) (ITeAHGA) which was used as an immunogen after conjugation to bovine serum albumin (BSA). A highly specific monoclonal antibody selectively binding to ITeAH was generated via the hybridoma technique and subsequently used to construct a heterologous indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (icELISA) using ITeAH as the competitive antigen for the detection of ITeA with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.5 ng/mL. Under the optimum conditions, the developed icELISA is highly sensitive (IC₅₀ = 7.8 ng/mL) with recovery rates ranged from 82.3 to 109.8% for spiked food samples. The comparative analysis of results revealed a good correlation between the icELISA and the standard HPLC-MS/MS method, confirming the suitability of the developed icELISA for screening and detection of mycotoxin ITeA in food samples.     

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 %).