[Frontiers in Bioscience E2, 151-158, January 1, 2010]

Simultaneous determination of mycotoxins in biological fluids by LC-MS/MS

Alberto Ritieni1, Antonello Santini1, Michele Mussap2, Rosalia Ferracane1, Paolo Bosco3, Diego Gazzolo4,5, Fabio Galvano6

1Department of Food Science, University of Naples Federico II, Portici, Naples, Italy, 2Biochemical and Clinical Laboratory, "S. Martino" Hospital, Genoa, Italy, 3IRCCS Associazione Oasi Maria S.S., Institute for Research on Mental Retardation and Brain Aging, Troina, Enna, Italy. 4Neonatal Intensive Care Unit "Cesare Arrigo" Children Hospital, Alessandria, Italy, 5Department of Pediatrics, "G. Gaslini Children's University" Hospital, Genoa, 6Department of Biochemistry, Medical Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Catania, Italy

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Abstract
2. Introduction
3. Materials and methods
3.1. Chemicals and equipments
3.2. Sampling
3.3. Recovery tests
3.4. Procedure of Extraction of OTA and AF from sera
3.5. Procedure of Extraction of OTA and AF from urine and amniotic liquid
3.6. LC-MS/MS Analysis
4. Results and discussion
5. References

1. ABSTRACT

We report a single, reliable, non-invasive analytical method for monitoring the fetal level of exposure to different mycotoxins. We assessed by tandem mass spectrometry levels up to 200 nanog/l for ochratoxin A and 500 nanog/l for aflatoxins in sample of serum (n= 71), urine (n= 18) and amniotic fluid (n= 21) of pregnant women. Aflatoxin G1 was present in one sample of serum (3.48 microg/l) and in four samples of urine (ranging from 14.0 to 18.8 microg/l), ochratoxin A was present in one sample of amniotic fluid (4.26 microg/l), whereas aflatoxin B1 (ranging from 0.4-2 microg/l) and B2 (ranging from 0.3-3 microg/l) were contextually present in two samples of urine. The very few contaminated samples did not allow statistical comparison between subjects grouped according to the frequency of consumption of commonly contaminated foods. Data confirm that mycotoxins can occur in fetal-maternal biological fluids. However, the incidence and the level of exposure to the investigated mycotoxins do not appear to pose risk for the mother and the fetus.