ANALYSIS OF TRACE LEVELS OF TRICHOTHECENE MYCOTOXINS IN AUSTRIAN CEREALS BY GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHY WITH ELECTRON-CAPTURE DETECTION

Various analytical methods developed for trichothecene determination, including TLC, HPLC, GC, supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) and enzyme immuno assay (EIA) are reviewed. In addition a new method is de scribed for the simultaneous determination of the trichothecene mycoto xins deoxynivalenol (DON), nivalenol (NIV), 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol (3- ADON), diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS), T-2 toxin (T-2), HT-2 toxin (HT-2) an d T-2 triol (TRIOL), in Austrian wheat and corn samples by GC-ECD. A c lean-up procedure has been developed using a combination of liquid-liq uid and liquid-solid extraction. Trichothecenes were detected as their heptafluorobuturyl esters or alternatively as trimethylsilyl ethers ( only sensitive for deoxynivalenol and nivalenol) using nandrolone or c hloramphenicol as internal standard. Four derivatization techniques us ing HFBI, HFBA + DMAP on polystyrene, TMSI and TMSI + BSA + TMCS have been studied and the advantages and disadvantages of each are discusse d. Quantification of trichothecenes from 10 to 1000 ppb in cereals cou ld be accomplished routinely.