Sensitive analysis of the mycotoxin zearalenone and its metabolites in biological fluids by high-performance liquid chromatography

Abstract

A method is described for the analysis of zearalenone and its metabolites, α- and β-zearalenol, in small volumes (0.5–2.0 ml) of biological fluids including milk, blood, plasma, urine and bile, using high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. Isolation of the toxins from biological fluids was achieved using a series of pH-controlled solvent extractions. Detection limits for zearalenone and α-zearalenol were 1 ng/ml, and for β-zearalenol ca. 5 ng/ml, both at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. In bile, however, the detection was ca. five times less sensitive owing to interfering substances. Recoveries at low ng/ml concentrations were highest from urine (87–94%) and plasma (85–93%), slightly lower from whole blood (78–88%) and milk (75–84%), and lowest from bile (66–77%).