Simultaneous determination of six aflatoxins and sterigmatocystin in livestock and poultry tissues by QuEChERS-ultra high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

Abstract

A method for the simultaneous determination of six aflatoxins (AFTs) and sterigmatocystin (SMC) in livestock and poultry tissues by QuEChERS-ultra high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) was developed and validated. The samples were extracted with 10 mL acetonitrile-water (84:16, v/v) after enzymatic hydrolysis with 20 μL β-glucosidase. The extracts were cleaned with 1.0 g each of sodium chloride and anhydrous magnesium sulfate, and then degreased with 5 mL hexane. The residues were re-dissolved in 1 mL acetonitrile-water (80:20, v/v) containing 5 mmol/L ammonium acetate. Methanol and 5 mmol/L ammonium acetate were used as the mobile phases. Six AFTs and SMC were analyzed by multiple reaction monitoring in the positive ion mode. Matrix-matched calibration curves and external standards were used for the accurate quantification of the six AFTs and SMC. Good linear relationships were obtained, the correlation coefficients (R2) were greater than 0.99. The limits of detection (LODs, S/N=3) and the limits of quantification (LOQs, S/N=10) ranged from 0.007 to 0.30 μg/kg, and 0.02 to 0.91 μg/kg, respectively. The recoveries at different spiked levels were satisfactory, and ranged from 77.3% to 118.5%. This method is simple, easy and sensitive, and is suitable for the rapid determination of the six AFTs and SMC in different pork, pork liver and chicken samples.