AFFINITY COLUMN CLEANUP FOR THE ANALYSIS OF FUMONISINS AND THEIR HYDROLYSIS PRODUCTS IN CORN

Fumonisins, toxic metabolites of certain Fusarium molds, can be found in corn and corn-based foods at levels sufficient to cause disease in livestock. Widely used methods of analysis involve organic extraction followed by isolation with either C-18 or strong anion exchange column s. An affinity column procedure that simultaneously isolated both inta ct and hydrolyzed fumonisins from corn is reported. The columns were p repared using two monoclonal antibodies with differing specificities, the first (P2A5-3-F3) bound intact fumonisins, while the second (P2F11 -3-H7) bound their hydrolysis products. Corn samples were extracted wi th methanol/phosphate buffer (80:20, v:v) and the extract was diluted and applied to the affinity column. The recoveries of FBI from corn sp iked with 0.5-8.0 ppm averaged 82%. The recoveries of HFB1 over the ra nge 0.25-1.25 ppm averaged 102%. Affinity columns capable of binding b oth intact and hydrolyzed fumonisins allow for the analysis of both ty pes of toxins simultaneously from a single methanolic extract.