B. Fazekas et A. Tar, Determination of zearalenone content in cereals and feedstuffs by immunoaffinity column coupled with liquid chromatography, J AOAC INT, 84(5), 2001, pp. 1453-1459
The zearalenone content of maize, wheat, barley, swine feed, and poultry fe
ed samples was determined by immunoaffinity column cleanup followed by liqu
id chromatography (IAC-LC). Samples were extracted in methanol-water (8 + 2
, v/v) solution. The filtered extract was diluted with distilled water and
applied to immunoaffinity columns. Zearalenone was eluted with methanol, dr
ied by evaporation, and dissolved in acetonitrile-water (3 + 7, v/v). Zeara
lenone was separated by isocratic elution of acetonitrile-water (50 + 50, v
/v) on reversed-phase C-18 column. The quantitative analysis was performed
by fluorescence detector and confirmation was based on the UV spectrum obta
ined by a diode array detector. The mean recovery rate of zearalenone was 8
2-97% (RSD, 1.4-4.1 %) on the original (single-use) immunoaffinity columns.
The limit of detection of zearalenone by fluorescence was 10 ng/g at a sig
nal-to-noise ratio of 10:1 and 30 ng/g by spectral confirmation in UV. A go
od correlation was found (R-2 = 0.89) between the results obtained by IAC-L
C and by the official AOAC-LC method. The specificity of the method was inc
reased by using fluorescence detection in parallel with UV detection. This
method was applicable to the determination of zearalenone content in cereal
s and other kinds of feedstuffs. Reusability of immunoaffinity columns was
examined by washing with water after sample elution and allowing columns to
stand for 24 h at room temperature. The zearalenone recovery rate of the r
egenerated columns varied between 79 and 95% (RSD, 3.2-6.3%). Columns can b
e regenerated at least 3 times without altering their performance and witho
ut affecting the results of repeated determinations.