Fabric phase sorptive extraction increases the accuracy of liquid chromatography-fluorescence detection of zearalenone in food samples

Abstract

ABSTRACT The accuracy of mycotoxins detection in the food samples has always been controversial and more sensitive methods help better regulatory activities and, therefore, the quality of final products. Zearalenone is a toxic substance from mycotoxins mainly produced by Fusarium fungi that has proven endocrine effects and is potentially carcinogenic. This research aimed to apply the fabric phase sorptive extraction (FPSE) technique to the liquid chromatography- fluorescence detection method to increase the sensitivity and accuracy of zearalenone extraction and determination in food samples. Applying graphene nanoparticles in the sol-gel process modifies the method depending on the amount of nanoparticles, volume and type of the back-extraction solvent, sample pH, ionic strength, and back-extraction time, which are all considered and investigated. At analytical conditions, the limit of quantification (LOQ) 16.57 and detection (LOD) of 4.97 ng/mL were observed. The method’s accuracy was determined by three spiking levels of 100, 150, and 200 ng/mL in the real samples. The mean recovery percentage in wheat were 61.69, 70.56, and 97.95%, and in the rice, 58.13, 66.00, and 102.59, respectively. The average percentages of the relative standard deviation of the instrument for intra-and inter-laboratory repeatability were less than 1.7%. This work provided a superior analytical condition to the conventional detection procedures in food safety laboratories.