HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHIC METHOD USING FLUORESCENCE DETECTION FOR QUANTITATIVE-ANALYSIS OF ZEARALENONE AND ALPHA-ZEARALENOL IN BLOOD-PLASMA

Abstract

A sensitive, high performance liquid chromatographic method was described for quantitative determination of zearalenone [a Fusarium mycotoxin] and .alpha.-zearalenol in blood plasma. Blood plasma was extracted with 2-propanol in ether, the extract evaporated to dryness and the residue dissolved in 0.18 N NaOH. The aqueous phase was washed with chloroform, dichloromethane and benzene, neutralized with 0.10 M H3PO4 and extracted with benzene. The extract was evaporated, dissolved in methanol and injected onto a reverse phase column containing LiChrosorb RP-8 under the following conditions: methanol-acetonitrile-water mobile phase, fluorescence detector, excitation wavelength 236 nm and 418 nm cut-off emission filter. The limit of detectability (twice background) was 0.5 ng standard which was equivalent to 0.6 ng standard/ml blood plasma. Linear standard curves were observed over the range of 0-35 ng of injected zearalenone and .alpha.-zearalenol. Recoveries from blood plasma were 76-101% in the range of 1.5-6.0 ng standard/ml blood.