Rapid characterization of trace aflatoxin B<inf>1</inf>in groundnuts, wheat and maize by dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction followed by direct electrospray probe tandem mass spectrometry

Abstract

Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Rationale: Aflatoxins are poisonous and cancer-related chemical compounds commonly found in crops and plants. Aflatoxin B1is the most toxic compound among aflatoxins and has been classified as group 1 carcinogenic to humans, especially in liver cancer. Herein, an ambient mass spectrometric method was developed for rapid characterization of trace aflatoxin B1in peanuts. Methods: Direct electrospray probe tandem mass spectrometry (DEP-MS/MS) was used to detect aflatoxin B1in peanuts. To avoid the matrix effect, the aflatoxin B1in the samples was extracted and concentrated by dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction. The mass spectrometer was operated in the positive ion mode to monitor the intact molecular ion (m/z 313, MH+) and product ion (m/z 241) of aflatoxin B1using multiple reaction monitoring. Results: Since no clean-up procedure of the sample was required, the sampling step and the subsequent mass spectrometric detection of the aflatoxin B1was completed in less than 5 min. The limit of detection of aflatoxin B1is at the sub-ppb level. The results obtained by DEP-MS/MS were also validated by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). Recovery of aflatoxin B1in the sample was evaluated by analyzing spiked aflatoxin B1with LC/MS/MS to be 85% and DEP-MS/MS to be 84%. Conclusions: DEP-MS/MS combined with a simple dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction procedure was successfully used for the quantitative analysis of AFB1in nut samples. Due to its high efficiency, it is promising in providing important toxicological information for food safety in the real world. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.