Development of deep eutectic solvent-based microwave-assisted extraction combined with temperature controlled ionic...

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Food Safety
• Green Chemistry

Background:

• Aflatoxins are toxic secondary metabolites produced by fungi, posing significant health risks.
• Accurate and sensitive detection of aflatoxins in food matrices like cheese is crucial for public health.
• Traditional extraction methods often involve hazardous organic solvents and multiple steps.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a novel, green extraction method for aflatoxins in cheese.
• To combine deep eutectic solvent-based microwave-assisted extraction with ionic liquid-based temperature-controlled liquid phase microextraction.
• To achieve sensitive and reliable determination of aflatoxins using high-performance liquid chromatography.

Main Methods:

• Microwave-assisted extraction using a choline chloride:ethylene glycol deep eutectic solvent.
• Ionic liquid-based temperature-controlled liquid phase microextraction with 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate.
• Analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography with a fluorescence detector.

Main Results:

• Achieved low limits of detection (9-23 ng kg⁻¹) and quantification (30-77 ng kg⁻¹).
• Demonstrated high extraction recovery (66%-83%) and acceptable enrichment factors (40-50).
• Exhibited good precision with relative standard deviations ≤ 5.2%.

Conclusions:

• The developed method is highly effective for extracting and determining aflatoxins in cheese samples.
• The combined extraction technique offers a green alternative, eliminating the need for organic solvents.
• This approach provides a sensitive, efficient, and environmentally friendly solution for food safety analysis.