ISOLUTE® Myco Solid Phase Extraction Columns

Importance of the Topic

Mycotoxins are toxic fungal metabolites that contaminate crops and food products, posing serious health risks to humans and animals. Effective multi-analyte detection is critical for food safety monitoring. Solid phase extraction (SPE) is essential to remove matrix interferences prior to sensitive LC-MS/MS analysis. ISOLUTE® Myco SPE columns provide a streamlined approach to isolate a wide range of mycotoxins from complex matrices, supporting regulatory compliance and high-throughput workflows.

Objectives and Study Overview

The main objective is to demonstrate the performance of a novel polymer-based SPE sorbent for simultaneous extraction of multiple mycotoxins across diverse food matrices. The study evaluates method robustness, recovery, reproducibility, and compliance with EU and US maximum residue limits (MRLs).

Methodology

The workflow follows an eight-step catch-and-release SPE protocol:

• Sample preparation: homogenization and solvent extraction
• Column conditioning with appropriate solvents
• Application of the liquid extract onto the SPE column
• Retention of mycotoxins on the polymeric sorbent
• Removal of matrix interferences via sequential washes
• Drying of the sorbent bed
• Elution of bound mycotoxins
• Collect purified extract for LC-MS/MS analysis

This approach is fully compatible with automation and minimizes manual steps.

Used Instrumentation

• ISOLUTE Myco 60 mg/3 mL SPE columns with novel polymer sorbent
• Biotage PRESSURE+ 48 positive pressure manifold
• VacMaster-10/20 vacuum sample processing manifolds
• TurboVap LV evaporator for solvent evaporation
• Standard LC-MS/MS systems for quantitative analysis

Main Results and Discussion

ISOLUTE Myco methods effectively quantified a broad panel of mycotoxins—aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, G2; ochratoxin A; fumonisin B1; T-2 and HT-2 toxins; zearalenone; deoxynivalenol; ergot alkaloids; patulin—in matrices including cereals, apple juice, nuts, and infant formula. Recoveries and precision (%RSD) exceeded regulatory requirements, achieving detection limits below MRLs. The polymer sorbent’s selectivity enabled clean extracts suitable for rapid LC-MS/MS runs, outperforming traditional immunoaffinity methods in versatility and cost.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• Simultaneous multi-mycotoxin extraction reduces number of assays
• High selectivity yields clean extracts and reliable quantitation
• Cost-effective alternative to immunoaffinity columns
• Automation compatibility supports high-throughput laboratories
• Applicable to a wide range of food matrices

Future Trends and Applications

Ongoing developments may expand the sorbent chemistry to additional emerging toxins. Integration with on-line SPE LC-MS/MS and robotic platforms will further enhance throughput and reproducibility. Evolving regulatory standards will drive demand for broader coverage and lower detection limits, making versatile SPE solutions increasingly valuable.

Conclusion

ISOLUTE Myco SPE columns deliver a robust, selective, and automation-friendly method for comprehensive mycotoxin analysis. This streamlined SPE-LC-MS/MS workflow meets regulatory criteria, improves laboratory efficiency, and supports reliable food safety monitoring.

References

• Commission Regulation (EC) 401/2006 on sampling and analysis of mycotoxins in foodstuffs
• Biotage patent pending for polymer-based mycotoxin sorbent