Liquid Chromatography/Thermospray/Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Beauvericin

Abstract

Beauvericin (BEA) is a bioactive hexadepsipeptide coproduced by the same Fusarium species that produce fumonisin mycotoxins. BEA is insecticidal and antimicrobial, and, being lipophilic, has the potential to bioaccumulate. Its mammalian toxicity has only recently been characterized, and sensitive analytical methodology to analyze for BEA is lacking. On-line thermospray mass spectrometry (LC/TSP/MS) was used to analyze BEA. A reversed-phase column and a mobile phase that consisted of CH3CN/0.4 M HCO2NH4 were used to resolve BEA. Positive ion spectra yielded signals at m/z 785 (M + H)+, m/z 802 (M + NH4)+, and m/z 823 (M + K)+. Standard curves plotted in the range 10−100 ng for the ions m/z 785, 802, and 823 had coefficients of determination (r2) of 0.996, 0.992, and 0.999. The lowest detectable limit was 1 ng at a S/N of 5:1. The developed LC/TSP/MS method was used successfully to analyze Fusarium proliferatum-fermented cracked corn containing BEA and spiked meat samples. Keywords: Beauvericin; fumonisins;...