Differentiation of aflatoxins from territrems

Abstract

Three methods were adopted for differentiation of aflatoxins B1 and B2 from territrems A and B. They were as follows. Thin-layer chromatography coupled with chemical confirmation. A significant decrease in the R(f)value of trifluoroacetic acid-treated aflatoxin B1 developed in chloroform-acetone (85:15, vol/vol) was satisfactory in differentiating this toxin from the other three. High-pressure liquid chromatography monitored synchronously at two wavelengths, 365 and 335 nm. The ratio derived from this double-wavelength detection could serve as an indicator of the presence of each toxin. Velasco's flurotoxin meter method, which is used for the determination of aflatoxins within the range of 0 to 50 ng/ml, was not significantly affected by territrems even when they were present in quantities at the microgram-per-milliliter level.