DIPHASIC DIALYSIS - A NEW METHODOLOGY FOR EXTRACTION OF MICOTOXINS AND OTHER ORGANIC LOW-MOLECULAR-WEIGHT CONTAMINANTS FROM FOOD

A new analytical technique named diphasic dialysis is reviewed. Diphas ic dialysis has been developed because of the need of more efficient a nalytical methodologies for mycotoxin analysis in food and biological samples; furthermore, it can also be applied to the extraction of many different low molecular weight organic residues from the same matrice s. These applications are possible because most of these pollutants ha ve a high solubility in organic solvents and low molecular weight, the two properties where the technique is sustained. To date, the main ap plications of the dialysis diphasic procedure in the analysis of micro bial metabolites (patuline from apple juice, aflatoxins from milk and milk products, chloramphenicol from milk, and ochratoxin A from wheat) , as well as in the analysis of other public health related residues ( clenbuterol from urine, heptachlor from water), show it to be versatil . So, we think that diphasic dialysis could have many different analyt ical purposes, being a new and valuable technical improvement in the a nalysis of harmful substances in food and feed. In the text are review both, the general procedure and the influence of analytical parameter s over efficiency, as well as the main applications in food and non-fo od related fields.