Liquid Chromatographic Determination of Aflatoxicol in Porcine Liver
Abstract A liquid chromatographic (LC) method for determination of aflatoxicol in porcine liver was developed. Liver sample is homogenized with water, diluted with saturated Na2S04 solution, and extracted with acetone. After filtration, less polar interferences are removed by partition with isooctane. Aflatoxicol in the aqueous fraction is partitioned into CHC13. The extract is dried over anhydrous Na2S04 and evaporated nearly to dryness at 35°C under a gentle flow of dry filtered air or nitrogen. Residue is dissolved in CHCl3-hexane and applied to a hexane-activated silica cartridge. The cartridge is washed with hexane-CHClj, then aflatoxicol is eluted with CHCl3-acetone. Purified extract is evaporated to dryness, dissolved in methanol, and analyzed by C18 reverse phase liquid chromatography using a water- CHjCN-acetic acid mobile phase and fluorescence detection. Recovery of aflatoxicol from spiked liver samples at levels ranging from 0.25 to 4.0 ng aflatoxicol/g wet tissue averaged 92% with a limit of detection of about 0.1 ng aflatoxicol/g liver.