Determination of <i>Fusarium</i> mycotoxins by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry coupled with immunoaffinity extraction

A method for the simultaneous quantitative determination of deoxynivalenol (DON), T-2 toxin (T-2), HT-2 toxin (HT-2) and zearalenone (ZEN) in wheat and biscuit by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS/MS) coupled with immunoaffinity extraction is described. A clean-up was carried out using a DZT MS-PREP immunoaffinity column (IAC), and the effect of the sample dilution rate and sample loading was investigated. Furthermore, the effects of ion suppression of a multifunctional column (MFC) and the IAC in the clean-up were compared. The results with the DZT MS-PREP IAC showed that it is possible to make the sample dilution rate low, and indicated a higher solvent-tolerance than usual with an IAC. Sample loading was optimized at 0.25 g. Ion suppression was lowered by purification of the toxins using the DZT MS-PREP IAC. Recoveries of each mycotoxin from wheat and biscuit samples spiked at two levels ranged from 78 to 109%. The limits of detection in wheat and biscuit was in the range of 0.03-0.33 ng x g(-1). From these studies, it is suggested that use of an IAC is effective in the clean-up of each mycotoxin, and, when combined with LC/ESI-MS/MS, it is good for the determination of mycotoxins in foodstuffs due to its rapidity and high sensitivity.