HPLC: a tool for the analysis of T-2 toxin and HT-2 toxin in cereals

An analytical procedure for the determination of trichothecenes in various cereals is described. HPLC was performed with a reversed-phase (C18) column eluted with methanol:water (60:40, v/v). Compounds were detected with a refractive index detector. The elution patterns of free and contaminated samples were compared. The recovery of added T-2 toxin (2 and 5 micrograms/g) in rye and wheat was approximately 80%. The application of this method allows for combined use with other sensitive methods such as mass spectrometry and gas chromatography. The described method is operationally simple, relatively inexpensive, and requires no derivatization.