Supercritical fluid extraction of macrocyclic lactone mycotoxins in maize flour samples for rapid amperometric
1Department of Analytical Chemistry and Food Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Av. Camilo José Cela s/n, E-13004 Ciudad Real, Spain.
Abstract:
A rapid and simple method for the direct screening of macrocyclic lactone mycotoxins (zearalenone, ZON; alpha-zearalenol, alpha-ZOL; and beta-zearalenol, beta-ZOL) in maize flour samples is proposed. The sample screening method comprises supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and clean-up on Florisil adsorption cartridge of the selected toxic compounds, followed by continuous flow electrochemical detection. Those samples for which the total concentration is close to or above the threshold limit established by legislation (0.200 mg kg(-1)) are subjected to preconcentration on C18 chromatographic material and liquid chromatographic separation for confirmation purposes. This confirmation method allows the determination of ZON, alpha-ZOL and beta-ZOL in the range between 30 and 300 microg kg(-1), with a average relative standard deviation lower than 5.2 in all cases.
