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Published on: December 5, 2020
Removal of Alternaria mycotoxins from aqueous solution by inactivated yeast powder
Xiaoyuan Wang1,2, Yike Han1, Lihua Zhang1,2
1Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, School of Food and Bioengineering, Zhengzhou, China.
Background:
Alternariol (AOH) and alternariol monomethyl ether (AME), produced by Alternaria spp., are the two mycotoxins with the highest outbreak rates in food systems. The purpose of this study was to investigate the removal of AOH and AME from aqueous solutions by inactivated yeast cells. The effects of strains, yeast powder amount, temperature, and pH were evaluated. The kinetics of AOH and AME adsorption on inactivated yeast cells was fitted with four models and a release assay was carried out.
Results:
All three tested yeasts could remove AOH and AME. GIM 2.119 was the most effective strain. The reduction rate of both AOH and AME could be as much as 100% with 40 g‧L-1 of yeast powder. For both mycotoxins, pH = 9 was the best environment for toxin removal. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model was the best model, with R2 ranging from 0.989 to 0.999. However, the R2 of the pseudo-first-order and Elovich models was also relatively high. Alternariol and AME could be partially eluted by methanol and acetonitrile.
Conclusion:
The inactivated yeast cells could effectively remove AOH and AME. This was best fitted by the pseudo-second-order model. The release assay suggested that the adsorption of Alternaria mycotoxins was partially reversible. The results of this study provide a theoretical basis for the removal of Alternaria mycotoxins from food systems and are useful for the investigation of the mechanisms involved in mycotoxin adsorption by inactivated yeast cells. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.
Insights
Inactivated yeast cells effectively remove Alternariol (AOH) and alternariol monomethyl ether (AME) mycotoxins from solutions. Adsorption kinetics followed a pseudo-second-order model, indicating partial reversibility and potential for food safety applications.
Area of Science:
- Food Science
- Mycology
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Alternariol (AOH) and alternariol monomethyl ether (AME) are prevalent mycotoxins in food systems.
- Alternaria species are common sources of these foodborne contaminants.
- Effective methods for mycotoxin removal are crucial for food safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of inactivated yeast cells in removing AOH and AME from aqueous solutions.
- To determine the optimal conditions for mycotoxin adsorption by yeast cells.
- To investigate the adsorption kinetics and reversibility of AOH and AME on yeast biomass.
Main Methods:
- Testing of three inactivated yeast strains for mycotoxin removal.
- Optimization of parameters including yeast powder concentration, temperature, and pH.
- Kinetic modeling using pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, and Elovich models.
- Conducting a release assay to assess adsorption reversibility.
Main Results:
- All tested yeast strains demonstrated AOH and AME removal capabilities, with GIM 2.119 being the most effective.
- Up to 100% reduction of both mycotoxins was achieved using 40 g/L of yeast powder at pH 9.
- The pseudo-second-order kinetic model best described the adsorption process (R² > 0.989).
- AOH and AME showed partial elution from yeast cells using methanol and acetonitrile.
Conclusions:
- Inactivated yeast cells provide an effective means for removing AOH and AME mycotoxins.
- The adsorption process is best described by pseudo-second-order kinetics and is partially reversible.
- Findings offer a theoretical foundation for applying yeast-based methods to mitigate mycotoxins in food systems.

