Type A-trichothecenes - Quantitative analysis using LC-MS and occurrence in Austrian maize and oats

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Food Safety

Background:

• Trichothecenes, particularly type A toxins like diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS), T-2 toxin, and HT-2 toxin, are mycotoxins that can contaminate staple crops.
• Assessing the occurrence of these toxins in agricultural products is crucial for food safety and risk assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a robust analytical method for the simultaneous quantitative determination of DAS, T-2 toxin, and HT-2 toxin.
• To investigate the prevalence and levels of these trichothecenes in Austrian maize, maize silage, and oats.

Main Methods:

• Quantitative analysis using a mass spectrometer in Selected Ion Monitoring (SIM) mode.
• Internal standardization with deuterated T-2 toxin (T-2 d3 toxin).
• Sample preparation involved Mycosep® 227 column cleanup and chromatographic separation on a Zorbax® bonus-RP column.

Main Results:

• The developed method enabled the accurate quantification of DAS, T-2 toxin, and HT-2 toxin.
• Maize and silage samples from 2002 exhibited low contamination levels of T-2 toxin (8% and 0%, respectively) and HT-2 toxin (30% and 18%, respectively).
• Oats samples showed significantly higher contamination rates, with 64% testing positive for T-2 toxin and 82% for HT-2 toxin.

Conclusions:

• The validated method is suitable for the routine monitoring of type A trichothecenes in cereal crops.
• Oats represent a higher risk for T-2 and HT-2 toxin contamination compared to maize and silage in the studied Austrian region and year.
• Further monitoring is recommended to understand the long-term trends and risks associated with trichothecene mycotoxins in animal feed and food.