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Eingeladener Vortrag
- nein (22)
Alternariol (AOH) and Alternariol monomethylether (AME) are two secondary metabolites of Alternaria fungi which can be found in various foodstuffs like tomatoes, nuts and grains. Due to their toxicity and potential mutagenic activity, the need for the development of high-throughput methods for the supervision of AOH- and AME-levels is of increasing interest. As the availability of both native and labelled AOH and AME analytical standards is very limited we herein wish to present a novel concise approach towards their synthesis employing a ruthenium-catalyzed ortho-arylation4 as the key step.
Ziel des Forschungsprojektes war es, systematische Untersuchungen der Verfahrensschritte für die gas-chromatographische Bestimmung von Mineralölkohlenwasserstoffen (MKW) in Feststoffen aus dem Altlastenbereich entsprechend der Methode des Fachgremiums Altlastenanalytik (FGAA) sowie des Verfahrens ISO/DIS 16703 durchzuführen, Wege zur Optimierung einzelner Verfahrensschritte aufzuzeigen und beide Verfahren miteinander zu vergleichen. Es wurden Untersuchungen zu den Verfahrensschritten Extraktion, Extraktreinigung, Messung und Integration durchgeführt. Im Ergebnis der Untersuchungen wurde festgestellt, dass die Extraktion von Feststoffproben (20 g) mit einem Extraktionsvolumen von mind. 40 mL Aceton und 20 mL n-Heptan erfolgen muss, um eine zufriedenstellende Extraktionsausbeute zu gewährleisten. Im Rahmen dieses Projektes wurde ein Rechenprogramm für die Bestimmung der Rest- Aceton-Konzentration in Heptan-Extrakten erstellt. Mit diesem Programm können auch die Wasservolumina ermittelt werden, die für eine gewünschte Rest-Aceton-Konzentration notwendig sind. Anhand von Bodenextrakten, PAK-, Stearylstearat- und Triglycerid-Standardlösungen wurde nachgewiesen, dass die Säulen-Technik eine wesentlich effektivere Extraktreinigung bewirkt als das sogenannte Batch-(Schüttel-) Verfahren. In einem Modellversuch an drei verschiedenen Bodenextrakten wurde gezeigt, dass die zwischen FGAA- und ISO-Verfahren unterschiedliche Art der Peak-Integration eines GC-FID Chromatogramms zwischen n-Dekan (C10) und n-Tetracontan (C40) keinen Einfluss auf das Endergebnis hat. Eine Basislinienkorrektur des Proben-Chromatogramms ist daher nicht erforderlich. Das FGAA-Verfahren enthält in seiner Vorschrift für die Berechnung des MKW-Gehalts im Probenmaterial einen systematischen Fehler von etwa 8 %. Dieser Fehler entsteht durch den Unterschied zwischen dem theoretischen Extraktvolumen von 150 mL und dem realen Extraktvolumen von etwa 139 mL. Dieser systematische Fehler sollte in einer nachfolgenden Fassung des FGAA-Verfahrens vermieden werden.
The formation of transformation products (TPs) from contaminants and residues is becoming an increasing focus of scientific community. All organic compounds can form different TPs, thus demonstrating the complexity and interdisciplinarity of this topic. The properties of TPs could stand in relation to the unchanged substance or be more harmful and persistent. To get important information about the generated TPs, methods are needed to simulate natural and manmade transformation processes. Current tools are based on metabolism studies, photochemical methods, electrochemical methods, and Fenton's reagent. Finally, most transformation processes are based on redox reactions. This review aims to compare these methods for structurally different compounds. The groups of pesticides, pharmaceuticals, brominated flame retardants, and mycotoxins were selected as important residues/contaminants relating to their worldwide occurrence and impact to health, food, and environmental safety issues. Thus, there is an increasing need for investigation of transformation processes and identification of TPs by fast and reliable methods.
The knowledge of transformation pathways and identification of transformation products (TPs) of veterinary drugs is important for animal health, food, and environmental matters. The active agent Monensin (MON) belongs to the ionophore antibiotics and is widely used as a veterinary drug against coccidiosis in broiler farming. However, no electrochemically (EC) generated TPs of MON have been described so far. In this study, the online coupling of EC and mass spectrometry (MS) was used for the generation of oxidative TPs. EC-conditions were optimized with respect to working electrode material, solvent, modifier, and potential polarity. Subsequent LC/HRMS (liquid chromatography/high resolution mass spectrometry) and MS/MS experiments were performed to identify the structures of derived TPs by a suspected target analysis. The obtained EC-results were compared to TPs observed in metabolism tests with microsomes and hydrolysis experiments of MON.
Five previously undescribed TPs of MON were identified in our EC/MS based study and one TP, which was already known from literature and found by a microsomal assay, could be confirmed.
Two and three further TPs were found as products in microsomal tests and following hydrolysis, respectively. We found decarboxylation, O-demethylation and acid-catalyzed ring-opening reactions to be the major mechanisms of MON transformation.
Moxidectin (MOX) is a widely used anthelmintic drug for the treatment of internal and external parasites in food-producing and companion animals. Transformation products (TPs) of MOX, formed through metabolic degradation or acid hydrolysis, May pose a potential environmental risk, but only few were identified so far. In this study, we therefore systematically characterized electro- and photochemically generatedMOX TPs using high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). Oxidative electrochemical (EC) TPs were generated in an electrochemical reactor and photochemical (PC) TPs by irradiation with UV-C light. Subsequent HRMS measurements were performed to identify accuratemasses and deduce occurring modification reactions of derived TPs in a suspected target analysis. In total, 26 EC TPs and 59 PC TPs were found. The main modification reactions were hydroxylation, (de-)hydration, and derivative formation with methanol for EC experiments and isomeric changes, (de-)hydration, and changes at the methoxime moiety for PC experiments. In addition, several combinations of different modification reactions were identified.
For 17 TPs, we could predict chemical structures through interpretation of acquired MS/MS data. Most modifications could be linked to two specific regions of MOX. Some previously described metabolic reactions like hydroxylation or O-demethylation were confirmed in our EC and PC experiments as reaction type, but the corresponding TPs were not identical to known metabolites or degradation products. The obtained knowledge regarding novel TPs and reactions will aid to elucidate the degradation pathway of MOX which is currently unknown.
Ergot alkaloids are mycotoxins formed by fungi of the Claviceps genus, which are some of the most common contaminants of food and feed worldwide. These toxins are a structurally heterogeneous group of compounds, sharing an ergoline backbone. Six structures and their corresponding stereoisomers are typically quantified by either HPLC-FLD or HPLC-MS/MS and the values subsequently summed up to determine the total ergot alkaloid content. For the development of a screening method targeting all ergot alkaloids simultaneously, the alkaloids need to be transferred to one homogeneous structure: a lysergic acid derivative. In this study, two promising cleaving methods—acidic esterification and hydrazinolysis—are compared, using dihydroergocristine as a model compound. While the acidic esterification proved to be unsuitable, due to long reaction times and oxidation sensitivity, hydrazinolysis reached a quantitative yield in 40-60 min. Parallel workup of several samples is possible. An increasing effect on the reaction rate by the addition of ammonium iodide was demonstrated. Application of hydrazinolysis to a major ergot alkaloid mix solution showed that all ergopeptines were cleaved, but ergometrine/-inine was barely affected. Still, hydrazinolysis is a suitable tool for the development of a sum parameter screening method for ergot alkaloids in food and feed.
Ergot alkaloids are a group of mycotoxins occurring in products derived from various grasses (e.g., rye) and have been regulated in the EU recently. The new maximum levels refer to the sum of the six most common ergot alkaloids in their two stereoisomeric forms in different food matrices. Typically, these twelve compounds are individually quantified via HPLC-MS/MS or -FLD and subsequently summed up to evaluate food safety in a time-consuming process. Since all these structures share the same ergoline backbone, we developed a novel sum parameter method (SPM) targeting all ergot alkaloids simultaneously via lysergic acid hydrazide. After extraction and clean-up, in analogy to the current European standard method EN 17425 (ESM) for ergot alkaloid quantitation, the samples were derivatized by an optimized hydrazinolysis protocol, which allowed quantitative conversion after 20 min at 100 °C. The new SPM was evaluated against another established HPLC-FLD-based method (LFGB) and the HPLC-MS/MS-based ESM using six naturally contaminated rye and wheat matrix reference materials. While the SPM provided comparable values to the ESM, LFGB showed deviating results. Determined recovery rates, limits of detection and quantification of all three employed methods confirm that the new SPM is a promising alternative to the classical approaches for ergot alkaloid screening in food.
Ergot alkaloids are a group of toxic compounds, formed by fungi on infested grasses. In 2022, the European Commission set into effect maximum levels for the sum of the twelve major ergot alkaloids in multiple foods. To facilitate the laborious and costly individual quantification of the twelve major ergot alkaloids by HPLC–MS/MS or -FLD, we recently reported a sum parameter method (SPM) for ergot alkaloid quantification. Here, derivatization to lysergic acid hydrazide—a derivative of the mutual ergoline backbone in all ergot alkaloids—allowed simplified determination of all ergot alkaloids in flour via HPLC-FLD. For the measurement of more complex matrices like processed foods, we now developed a MS/MS-based SPM. Two internal standards (IS), isotopically labelled at different positions of the molecule, were synthesized and employed in the MS/MS-measurements. Method performance using either the 13CD3-labelled or the 15N2-labelled IS was evaluated on naturally contaminated rye and wheat flour samples as well as on processed food matrices. Employing the 13CD3-labelled IS leads to lower variances and better consistency with the reference data (obtained by the FLD-based SPM) in flour samples compared to the 15N2-labelled IS. The novel method significantly improves the measurement of ergot alkaloids in complex food matrices, due to their increased selectivity and thus lower interferences. Furthermore, the application of isotope labelled IS obviates the need for time-consuming steps like the determination of recovery rate based, matrix specific correction factors as described in the MS/MS-based European standard method for ergot alkaloid quantification (EN 17425).
Deoxynivalenol (DON), nivalenol (NIV) and zearalenone (ZEN) are toxic secondary metabolites produced by several species of Fusarium fungi. These mycotoxins are often found together in a large variety of cereal-based foods, which are regulated by maximum content levels of DON and ZEN. To date, suitable certified reference materials (CRM) intended for quality control purposes are lacking for these Fusarium mycotoxins. In order to overcome this lack, the first CRM for the determination of DON, NIV and ZEN in naturally contaminated wheat flour (ERM®-BC600) was developed in the framework of a European Reference Materials (ERM®) project. This article describes and discusses the whole process of ERM®-BC600 development, including material preparation, homogeneity and stability studies, and an interlaboratory comparison study for certification. A total of 21 selected expert laboratories from different European countries with documented expertise in the field of mycotoxin analysis took part in the certification study using various gas and liquid chromatographic methods. The certified values and their corresponding expanded uncertainties (k=2) were assigned in full compliance with the requirements of ISO Guide 35 and are as follows: 102±11 µgkg-1 for DON, 1000±130 µgkg-1 for NIV and 90±8 µgkg-1 for ZEN.
Trichothecene mycotoxins, with T-2 and HT-2 toxins being the main representatives of the type A subgroup, are naturally and worldwide occurring contaminants frequently found in grain-based food and feed. Due to the high consumption of these products and the potential health risk associated herewith, concerns about the safety and quality of food and feed have increased over the last decades at both governmental and consumer levels. Since it is not possible to avoid their occurrence, tremendous efforts have been performed to identify and monitor mycotoxins in food and feed to make their consumption safe. However, suitable certified reference materials (CRMs) intended for quality assurance and quality control purposes are still lacking for many mycotoxin-matrix combinations. Therefore, in the framework of a European Reference Material (ERM®) project, the first CRM for T-2 and HT-2 toxin in ground oat flakes (ERM®-BC720) was developed according to the requirements of ISO Guide 35. The whole process of ERM®-BC720 development, including sample preparation, homogeneity and stability studies and value assignment, is presented. The assignment of the certified mass fractions was based upon an in-house study using high-performance liquid chromatography isotope-dilution tandem mass spectrometry. Simultaneously, an interlaboratory comparison study involving 24 expert laboratories was conducted in order to support the in-house certification study. The certified values and their corresponding expanded uncertainties (k=2) for both T-2 and HT-2 toxin in ERM®-BC720, traceable to the international system of units, are (82±4) µg kg-1 and (81±4) µg kg-1, respectively.
rac-2,3-Dibromopropionamide
(2013)
The racemic title compound, C3H5Br2NO, was crystallized from methanol. In the crystal, adjacent molecules are linked through N–H···O hydrogen bonds, forming chains along the c-axis direction. These chains are linked through N–H···O hydrogen bonds, forming an undulating two-dimensional network lying parallel to the bc plane. There are also short Br···Br contacts present [3.514 (3) Å].
Überwachung pflanzlicher Rohstoffe - Trichothecen-Analytik in Getreide und Getreideerzeugnissen
(2010)
Mycotoxins are natural contaminants produced by a range of fungal species. Their common occurrence in food and feed poses a threat to the health of humans and animals. This threat is caused either by the direct contamination of agricultural commodities or by a "carry-over" of mycotoxins and their metabolites into animal tissues, milk, and eggs after feeding of contaminated hay or corn. As a consequence of their diverse chemical structures and varying physical properties, mycotoxins exhibit a wide range of biological effects. Individual mycotoxins can be genotoxic, mutagenic, carcinogenic, teratogenic, and oestrogenic. To protect consumer health and to reduce economic losses, surveillance and control of mycotoxins in food and feed has become a major objective for producers, regulatory authorities and researchers worldwide. However, the variety of chemical structures makes it impossible to use one single technique for mycotoxin analysis. Hence, a vast number of analytical methods has been developed and validated. The heterogeneity of food matrices combined with the demand for a fast, simultaneous and accurate determination of multiple mycotoxins creates enormous challenges for routine analysis. The most crucial issues will be discussed in this review. These are (1) the collection of representative samples, (2) the performance of classical and emerging analytical methods based on chromatographic or immunochemical techniques, (3) the validation of official methods for enforcement, and (4) the limitations and future prospects of the current methods.
Die Prozesskontaminante Acrylamid steht im Verdacht krebserregend und erbgutverändernd zu sein, weshalb große Anstrengungen unternommen werden, um die Acrylamidgehalte in Lebensmitteln auf möglichst niedrige Werte zu reduzieren. Durch Anwendung des dynamischen Minimierungskonzepts konnte über die letzten Jahre in Deutschland eine deutliche Verringerung der mittleren täglichen Acrylamidaufnahme pro kg Körpergewicht erreicht werden, wobei die durch häusliche Zubereitung (Braten, Backen, Frittieren) entstehenden als auch die durch den Verzehr weiterer relevanter Lebensmittel wie Kakao und Kakaoerzeugnisse aufgenommenen Acrylamidmengen nicht oder nur marginal berücksichtigt werden.
Für die Ermittlung der Acrylamidbelastungen in Schokoladen unterschiedlicher Kakaogehalte sowie in reinem Kakaopulver wurden insgesamt 140 Proben aus deutschen Einzelhandelsmärkten untersucht. Die quantitative Bestimmung erfolgte unter Verwendung eines schnellen, kostengünstigen und validierten HPLC-MS/MS-basierten Analysenverfahrens in Kombination mit der Stabilisotopenverdünnungsanalyse (SIVA). In allen untersuchten Proben konnte Acrylamid nachgewiesen werden, wobei Gehalte im Bereich von 9,0-1747 µg kg-1 mit relativen Standardabweichungen zwischen 0,4 % und 10,8 % ermittelt wurden.
Ergot alkaloids and their epimer-specific determination have gained increasing importance for food safety. A solid-phase extraction and cleanup method based on sodium-neutralized strong cation exchange (Na+-SCX) was developed to quantitate 12 priority ergot alkaloids in rye flour and wheat germ oil by HPLC fluorescence analysis. Sample preparation is achieved by omitting acidic and alkaline conditions enabling minimized epimerization, which is necessary to determine ergot alkaloids according to their natural distribution in foods. Ergot alkaloids are eluted from SCX-column by forming ion pairs using a sodium hexanesulfonate containing solution which prevents epimerization for at least 96 h. Method validation yielded recoveries of 80–120% (rye flour) and 71–96% (wheat germ oil) with a maximum limit of quantitation (LOQ) of 2.0 µg kg1 per ergot alkaloid for both matrices. The applicability of the developed method was demonstrated by analyzing 16 samples from German retail markets: 9 rye flours (max 178 ± 5 µg kg1) and, reported for the first time, 7 wheat germ oils (max 56.8 ± 2.7 µg kg1) expressed as the sum of 12 ergot alkaloids.
The title compound, also known as cis-zearalenone (cis-ZEN), C18H22O5, has already been reported elsewhere [Griffin et al. (1981). ACA Ser. 29, 35], but no atomic coordinates are publicly available. The molecule is of interest with respect to its toxicity. In the crystal, intramolecular O—H···O hydrogen bonds stabilize the molecular conformation, while intermolecular O—H···O hydrogen bonds link the molecules to form infinite chains along the [110] and [1¯10] directions. The absolute configuration has been assigned by reference to an unchanging chiral centre in the synthetic procedure.
The emphasis of the present work was to investigate the photochemical conversion of trans- to cis-zearalenone in edible oils under real-life conditions. For quantitation purposes a cis-zearalenone standard was synthesized and characterized for its identity and purity (≥95%) by 1H NMR, X-ray crystallography, HPLC fluorescence and mass spectrometric detection. In a sample survey of 12 edible oils (9 corn oils, 3 hempseed oils) from local supermarkets all corn oils contained trans-zearalenone (median 194 µg/kg), but no cis-zearalenone was detected. For alteration studies trans-zearalenone contaminated corn oils were exposed to sunlight over 4 and 30 weeks, revealing an obvious shift toward cis-zearalenone up to a cis/trans ratio of 9:1 by storage in colorless glass bottles. Irradiation experiments of trans-zearalenone in different organic solvents confirmed the preferred formation of cis-zearalenone possibly caused by entropic effects rather than by enthalpic entities as investigated by quantum chemical and classical force field simulations.
The demonstration of competency and equivalence for the assessment of levels of contaminants and nutrients in primary foodstuffs is a priority within the 10-year strategy for the OAWG Track A core comparisons. The measurements are core challenges for reference material producers and providers of calibration Services. This key comparison related to low polarity analytes in a high fat, low protein, low carbohydrate food matrix and Benzo[a]pyrene in edible oil was the model System selected to align with this class within the OAWG strategy. Evidence of successful participation in formal, relevant international comparisons is needed to document measurement capability claims (CMCs) made by national metrology institutes (NMIs) and designated institutes (Dis). 16 National Metrology Institutions participated in the Track A Key Comparison CCQM-K146 Low-Polarity Analyte in high fat food: Benzo[a]pyrene in Olive Oil. Participants were requested to evaluate the mass fractions, expressed in µg/kg, of Benzo[a]pyrene in the olive oil material. The KCRV was determined from the results of all NMIs/DIs participating in the key comparison that used appropriately validated methods with demonstrated metrological traceability. Different methods such as liquid-liquid extraction, GPC and SPE were applied in the sample pretreatment and HPLC-FLD, HPLC-MS/MS, and GC-MS or GC-MS/MS were applied for detection by the participants. The mass fractions for BaP were in the range of (1.78 to 3.09) µg/kg with Standard uncertainties of (0.026 to 0.54) µg/kg, with corresponding relative Standard uncertainties from 0.9% to 21%. Five labs withdrew their result from the Statistical evaluation of the KCRV for technical reasons. One lab was excluded from the KCRV evaluation, as they did not meet the CIPM metrological traceability requirements. A Hierarchical Bayes option was selected for the KCRV value, which was determined as 2.74 µg/kg with a Standard uncertainty of 0.03 µg/kg. The 10 institutes those were included in the calculation of the consensus KCRV all agreed within their Standard uncertainties. Successful participation in CCQM-K146 demonstrates the measurement capabilities in determining mass fraction of organic compounds, with molecular mass of 100 g/mol to 500 g/mol, having low polarity pKow < -2, in mass fraction range from 0.1 µg/kg to 1000 µg/kg in a high fat, low protein, low carbohydrate food matrix.
Demonstrating competency and equivalence for the measurement capacity of contaminants and nutrients in primary foodstuffs is a priority of the OAWG 10-year strategy for Track A core comparisons. Such measurements have posed significant challenges for reference material producers and calibration service providers. This key comparison (KC), under the topic of “non- polar analyte in high carbohydrate food matrix: trans-Zearalenone (trans-ZEN) in maize powder” , was a sector of the model system selected to align with this class within the OAWG strategy. Evidence of successful participation in formal, relevant international comparisons is needed to demonstrate the Calibration and Measurement Capabilities (CMCs) of national metrology institutes (NMIs) and designated institutes (DIs).
17 NMIs and DIs participated in the Track A KC CCQM- 168 “non-polar analyte in high carbohydrate food matrix: trans-ZEN in maize powder” . Participants were requested to evaluate the mass fraction (μg/kg) of trans-ZEN in maize powder material. Methods like liquid-liquid extraction and SPE were applied in the pre-treatment, and HPLC-MS/MS and HPLC-FLD were used for detection by the participants. The mass fractions for trans-ZEN were in the range of (91.8 to 169) μg/kg with standard uncertainties of (1.5 to 24.7) μg/kg, and corresponding relative standard uncertainties from 1.5% to 14.6%. Two labs, INTI and BAM were excluded from the KCRV evaluation. INTI result was identified as an outlier and confirmed their method had insufficient specificity. For BAM the calibration approach they used does not meet the CIPM traceability requirements. The other 15 labs included in the calculation of the consensus KCRV all agreed within their standard uncertainties. Hierarchical Bayes was used as estimators in calculating KCRV and standard uncertainty.
Successful participation in CCQM-K168 demonstrates the measurement capabilities in determining mass fraction of organic compounds, with molecular mass of 100 g/mol to 500 g/mol, having low polarity pKow < -2, in mass fraction range from 1 μg/kg to 1000 μg/kg in a high carbohydrate food matrix.
The statistical tool eCerto was developed for the evaluation of measurement data to assign property values and associated uncertainties of reference materials. The analysis is based on collaborative studies of expert laboratories and was implemented using the R software environment. Emphasis was put on comparability of eCerto with SoftCRM, a statistical tool based on the certification strategy of the former Community Bureau of Reference. Additionally, special attention was directed towards easy usability from data collection through processing, archiving, and reporting. While the effects of outlier removal can be flexibly explored, eCerto always retains the original data set and any manipulation such as outlier removal is (graphically and tabularly) documented adequately in the report. As a major reference materials producer, the Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) developed and will maintain a tool to meet the needs of modern data processing, documentation requirements, and emerging fields of RM activity. The main features of eCerto are discussed using previously certified reference materials.
Photodegradation of the „novel“ brominated flame retardant tris-(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)-s-triazine
(2016)
Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) comprise a class of structurally diverse compounds that are functionally related and used in materials to reduce the flammability of polymers. Due to their global distribution, potential persistence, bioaccumulation and toxicity most of the BFRs of the first Generation are banned or restricted, and replaced by new ones. However, based on similar properties these new compounds may also pose a serious risk by causing adverse effects to human health and the environment.
These alternative BFRs were grouped into two classes: „novel” and „emerging” BFRs. Emerging BFRs are defined as compounds that have been identified in any environmental compartments whereas novel BFRs are only detected in materials and/or goods above 0.1 wt.-%.
The environmental fate of these alternative BFRs is partially unknown. Over the past years a multitude of studies on the photodegradation of BFRs in environmental matrices have been conducted to assess the photochemical behavior and fate in the environment. The photolytic debromination reaction is particularly induced among BFRs by UV exposure.
The novel brominated triazine-based flame retardant tris-(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)-s-triazine (TTBPTAZ) (Table 1) is a BFR that is mainly used in acrylonitrile butadiene styrene and high impact polystyrene.
Ballesteros-Gómez et al. detected TTBP-TAZ in 8 of 13 plastic parts of consumer products and in 9 of 17 indoor dust samples but the photochemical behavior and fate is not known until now.
The results of the present study, focused on photodegradation processes were performed for the first time for TTBP-TAZ to identify the photolysis intermediates and products to assess the environmental fate.
Wenn in einem Lebensmittel keine Schimmelpilzgifte nachweisbar sind, muss das nicht bedeuten, dass keine enthalten sind. Prozesse der Lebensmittelverarbeitung, etwa das Mälzen in der Brauerei, führen dazu, dass Glucoside oder Sulfate der Toxine entstehen. Sie sind wenig charakterisiert und analytisch bisher kaum fassbar.
Mykotoxine sind toxische, von Schimmelpilzen gebildete Sekundärstoffe und gehören zu den am weitesten verbreiteten Lebensmittelkontaminanten. Trichtothecen-Mykotoxine, produziert von verschiedenen Fusarien-Spezies, sind dabei aufgrund ihrer hohen akuten
Toxizität teils im Lebensmittel mit Grenzwerten geregelt oder befinden sich aktuell in einer entsprechenden Diskussion.
Germination induces the glucosylation of the Fusarium mycotoxin deoxynivalenol in various grains
(2012)
In food, the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) often occurs in conjunction with its 3-β-D-glucopyranoside (D3G). The transformation of DON to D3G through glucosylation is catalysed by plant enzymes, however, the exact circumstances are not well understood. In order to investigate the role of enzymatic glucosylation in germinating grains, DON treated kernels were steeped and germinated under laboratory conditions. Furthermore, the effect of malting on the DON content of the contaminated barley was investigated. In all cases, DON and its derivatives were quantified by HPLC-MS/MS before, during and after the experiments. Amongst the six tested cereals; wheat, rye, barley, spelt, and millet transformed DON to D3G during germination whilst the oats were inactive. For wheat, barley, and spelt the initial DON content was reduced by 50%, with the loss being almost entirely accounted for by D3G formation. As D3G might be cleaved during digestion, the elevated D3G concentration may obscure the toxicologically relevant DON content in processed food and beer. The germination process has a major influence on the 'masking' of DON, leading to high quantities of D3G that may be missed in common mycotoxin analyses.
Fusarium mycotoxins in foodstuffs at levels in violation of allowed legal limits belong to the most frequently occurring type of food contamination. Out of the large variety of known mycotoxins, deoxynivalenol (DON), zearalenone (ZEN), and the T-toxins are the most prevalent and are responsible for extensive and recurring economic damage. For ensuring consumer safety, it is required to continually identify faster, simpler and more reliable analytical methodologies. In the present work, miniaturized centrifugation (spin) columns for the extraction of mycotoxins from grain samples were investigated, with a focus on matrix removal, applicability of different extraction solvents, and recovery of mycotoxin. The method was further extended to the extraction of naturally occurring DON and ZEN conjugates (masked mycotoxins). The spin column method was observed to routinely provide a total matrix reduction of >90% from typical wheat samples in a single centrifugation step. The use of H2O/ACN (20/80; v/v) as an extraction solvent provided non-masked DON, ZEN and T-toxin recoveries of greater than 80%. For the masked DON and ZEN conjugates (DON-3-glucoside and ZEN-14-sulfate), recoveries were lower. Overall, the evaluated miniaturized spin column procedure enabled rapid loss-free extraction of unconjugated mycotoxins from conventional grain matrix and a significantly reduced matrix load in the extracts.
Deoxynivalenol (DON) is one of the most abundant mycotoxins contaminating food and feed worldwide. Upon absorption, the major portion of the toxin is excreted by humans and animal species as glucuronide. However, consistent in vitro data on DON glucuronidation are lacking. In the present study, the metabolism of DON was investigated using liver microsomes from humans and six different animal species. It was shown that all animal and human liver microsomes led to the formation of up to three different mono-O-glucuronides with significant interspecies differences. While the activity of human liver microsomes was low (0.8 to 2.2 pmol·min–1·mg–1), bovine liver and rat liver microsomes conjugated DON with activities of 525 pmol·min–1·mg–1 and 80 pmol·min–1·mg–1, respectively.
The mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON), formed by Fusarium species, is one of the most abundant mycotoxins contaminating food and feed worldwide. Upon ingestion, the majority of the toxin is excreted by humans and animal species as glucuronide conjugate. First in vitro data indicated that DON phase II metabolism is strongly species dependent. However, kinetic data on the in vitro metabolism as well as investigations on the specific enzymes responsible for DON glucuronidation in human are lacking. In the present study, the DON metabolism was investigated using human microsomal fractions and uridine-diphosphoglucuronyltransferases (UGTs) as well as liver microsomes from five animal species. Only two of the twelve tested human recombinant UGTs led to the formation of DON glucuronides with a different regiospecificity. UGT2B4 predominantly catalyzed the formation of DON-15-O-glucuronide (DON-15GlcA), while for UGT2B7 the DON-3-O-glucuronide (DON-3GlcA) metabolite prevailed. For human UGTs, liver, and intestinal microsomes, the glucuronidation activities were low. The estimated apparent intrinsic clearance (Clapp,int) for all human UGT as well as tissue homogenates was <1 mL/min mg protein. For the animal liver microsomes, moderate Clapp,int between 1.5 and 10 mL/min mg protein were calculated for carp, trout, and porcine liver. An elevated glucuronidation activity was detected for rat and bovine liver microsomes leading to Clapp,int between 20 and 80 mL/min mg protein. The obtained in vitro data points out that none of the animal models is suitable for estimating the human DON metabolism with respect to the metabolite pattern and formation rate.
The identification of transformation products (TPs) of pesticides in food is a crucial task difficult to tackle, due to the lack of standards. In this work, we present a novel methodology to synthesize five main TP standards of the insecticide chlorpyrifos (CPF) and to investigate their occurrence in selected fruits and spices. TPs were electrochemically (EC) synthesized using a boron-doped diamond electrode (BDD) and identified by EC coupled online to mass spectrometry, LC-MS/MS, and high-resolution mass spectrometry. CPF and its TPs were analyzed in the food samples by LC-MS/MS on multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) after dispersive solid-phase extraction. A good recovery of 83–103% for CPF and 65–85% for TPs was obtained. Matrix effects, which cause signal suppression, ranged between 81 to 95% for all targeted analytes. The limit of detection and quantification for CPF were 1.6–1.9 and 4.9–5.7 μg/kg, respectively. Among investigated samples, CPF was determined in fresh lemon (104 μg/kg), fenugreek seed (40 μg/kg), and black pepper (31 μg/kg). CPF content in all samples was lower than the EU maximum residue level (MRL). The most frequently detected TPs were diethylthiophosphate and diethylphosphate. Other TPs, CPF oxon and trichloropyridinol, were also detected. Hence, EC is a versatile tool to synthesize TP standards which enables the determination of contaminants and residues in foodstuffs even if no commercial standards are available.
Biotransformation processes of fluopyram (FLP), a new succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor (SDHI) fungicide, were investigated by electrochemistry (EC) coupled online to liquid chromatography (LC) and electrospray mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Oxidative phase I metabolite production was achieved using an electrochemical flow-through cell equipped with a boron doped diamond (BDD) electrode. Structural elucidation and prediction of oxidative metabolism pathways were assured by retention time, isotopic patterns, fragmentation, and accurate mass measurements using EC/LC/MS, LC-MS/MS, and/or high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). The results obtained by EC were compared with conventional in vitro studies by incubating FLP with rat and human liver microsomes (RLM, HLM). Known phase I metabolites of FLP (benzamide, benzoic acid, 7-hydroxyl, 8-hydroxyl, 7,8-dihydroxyl FLP, lactam FLP, pyridyl acetic acid, and Z/E-olefin FLP) were successfully simulated by EC/LC/MS. New metabolites including an imide, hydroxyl lactam, and 7-hydroxyl pyridyl acetic acid oxidative metabolites were predicted for the first time in our study using EC/LC/MS and liver microsomes. We found oxidation by dechlorination to be one of the major metabolism mechanisms of FLP. Thus, our results revealed that EC/LC/MS-based metabolic elucidation was more advantageous on time and cost of analysis and enabled matrix-free detection with valuable information about the mechanisms and intermediates of metabolism processes.
Xenobiotics and their reactive metabolites are conjugated with native biomolecules such as glutathione and glucoside during phase II metabolism. Toxic metabolites are usually detoxified during this step. On the other hand, these reactive species have a potential health impact by disrupting many enzymatic functions. Thus, it is crucial to understand phase II conjugation reactions of xenobiotics in order to address their fate and possible toxicity mechanisms.
Additionally, conventional methods (in vivo and in vitro) have limitation due to matrix complexity and time-consuming. Hence, developing fast and matrix-free alternative method is highly demandable. In this work, oxidative phase I metabolites and reactive species of chlorpyrifos (insecticide) and fluopyram (fungicide) were electrochemically produced by using a boron-doped diamond electrode coupled online to electrospray mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Reactive species of the substrates were trapped by biomolecules (glutathione and glucoside) and phase II conjugative metabolites were identified using liquid chromatography (LC)-MS/MS, and/or Triple time of flight (TripleTOF)-MS. Glutathione conjugates and glucosylation of chlorpyrifos, trichloropyridinol, oxon, and monohydroxyl fluopyram were identified successfully. Glutathione and glucoside were conjugated with chlorpyrifos, trichloropyridinol, and oxon by losing a neutral HCl. In the case of fluopyram, its monohydroxyl metabolite was actively conjugated with both glutathione and glucoside. In summary, seven bioconjugates of CPF and its metabolites and two bioconjugates of fluopyram metabolites were identified using electrochemistry (EC)/MS for the first time in this work. The work could be used as an alternative approach to identify glutathione and glucosylation conjugation reactions of other organic compounds too. It is important, especially to predict phase II conjugation within a short time and matrix-free environment.
An automated method is presented for fast simulation of (bio)transformation products (TPs) of the organophosphate insecticide chlorpyrifos CPF)based on electrochemistry coupled online to liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (EC-LC-MS). Oxidative TPs were produced by a boron doped diamond (BDD) electrode, separated by reversed phase HPLC and online detected by electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Furthermore, EC oxidative TPs were investigated by HPLC-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and FT-ICR high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) and compared to in-vitro assay metabolites (rat and human liver microsomes). Main phase I metabolites of CPF: chlorpyrifos oxon (CPF oxon), trichloropyridinol (TCP), diethylthiophosphate (DETP), diethylphosphate (DEP), desethyl chlorpyrifos (De-CPF), and desethyl chlorpyrifos oxon (De-CPF oxon), were successfully identified by the developed EC-LC-MS method. The EC-LC-MS method showed similar metabolites compared to the in-vitro assay with possibilities of determining reactive species. Our results reveal that online EC-(LC)-MS brings an advantage on time of analysis by eliminating sample preparation steps and Matrix complexity compared to conventional in-vivo or in-vitro methods.
Identifying the fate of agrochemicals is important to understand their potential risk for living organisms. We report here new photodegradation products (PPs) of the fungicide fluopyram. The PPs were produced by irradiating a fluopyram standard in 0.1% acetonitrile aqueous media by a 150-W medium pressure Hg-lamp that emits wavelengths between 200–280 nm. The structural elucidation of PPs was achieved by combining the retention time, isotopic pattern, targeted fragmentation, and accurate mass measurements using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and high resolution-MS (HRMS). In addition to previously known PPs, seven new PPs of fluopyram were identified in this work: mainly dihydroxyl and hydroxylimide fluopyram as well as mono, di, and trihydroxyl lactam. Additionally, two PPs were found to be formed by rearrangement after the loss of H2C=CH2. Hence, the results of the work contribute to extending the current knowledge regarding the photoinduced fate of agrochemicals, and fluopyram in particular.
The degradation and epimerization of ergot alkaloids (EAs) in rye flour were investigated after baking cookies and subsequently subjecting them to an in vitro digestion model. Different steps of digestion were analyzed using salivary, gastric, and duodenal juices. The degradation and bidirectional conversion of the toxicologically relevant (R)-epimers and the biologically inactive (S)-epimers for seven pairs of EAs were determined by a HPLC method coupled with fluorescence detection. Baking cookies resulted in degradation of EAs (2–30 %) and a shift in the epimeric ratio toward the (S)-epimer for all EAs. The applied digestion model led to a selective toxification of ergotamine and ergosine, two ergotamine-type EAs. The initial percentage of the toxic (R)-epimer in relation to the total toxin content was considerably increased after digestion of cookies. Ergotamine and ergosine increased from 32 to 51 % and 35 to 55 %, respectively. In contrast, EAs of the ergotoxine type (ergocornine, α- and β-ergocryptine, and ergocristine) showed an epimeric shift toward their biologically inactive (S)-epimers. Further experiments indicated that the selective epimerization of ergotamine EAs occurs in the duodenal juice only. These results demonstrate that toxification of EAs in the intestinal tract should be taken into consideration.
Ergotaminine
(2012)
The title compound {systematic name: (6aR,9S)-N-[(2R,5S,10aS,10bS)-5-benzyl-10b-hydroxy-2-methyl-3,6-dioxooctahydro-8H-oxazolo[3,2-a]pyrrolo[2,1-c]pyrazin-2-yl]-7-methyl-4,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydroindolo[4,3-fg]quinoline-9-carboxamide}, C33H35N5O5, was formed by an epimerization reaction of ergotamine. The non-aromatic ring (ring C of the ergoline skeleton) directly fused to the aromatic rings is nearly planar [maximum deviation = 0.317 (4) Å] and shows an envelope conformation, whereas ring D, involved in an intramolecular N–H···N hydrogen bond exhibits a slightly distorted chair conformation. The structure displays chains running approximately parallel to the diagonal of bc plane that are formed through N–H···O hydrogen bonds.
Ergometrinine
(2010)
The absolute configuration of ergometrinine, C19H23N3O2 {systematic name: (6aR,9S)-N-[(S)-1-hydroxypropan-2-yl]-7-methyl-4,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydroindolo[4,3-fg]quinoline-9-carboxamide}, was established based on epimerization reaction of ergometrine, which was followed by preparative HPLC. The non-aromatic ring (ring C of the ergoline skeleton) directly fused to the aromatic rings is nearly planar [maximum deviation = 0.271 (3) Å] and shows an envelope conformation, whereas ring D, involved in an intramolecular N-HN hydrogen bond, exibits a slightly distorted chair conformation. The structure displays undulating layers in the ac plane formed by O-H...O and N-H...O hydrogen bonds.
Lysergol monohydrate
(2012)
In the title compound [systematic name: (7-methyl-4,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydroindolo[4,3,2-fg]quinoline-9-yl)methanol monohydrate], C16H18N2O·H2O, the non-aromatic ring (ring C of the ergoline skeleton) directly fused to the aromatic rings is nearly planar, with a maximum deviation of 0.659 (3) Å, and shows an envelope conformation. In the crystal, hydrogen bonds between the lysergol and water molecules contribute to the formation of layers parallel to (10-2).
The fungus Claviceps purpurea grows on grasses
and cereal grains and produces six predominant ergot
alkaloids. These toxic substances undergo different transformation
reactions during storage and cereal processing. One
of these reactions is the addition of water to a double bond in
the ergoline skeleton. Since light is required for this process,
the substances formed were named lumi-ergot alkaloids.
From these, a new asymmetric carbon and consequently two
epimers with different polarities are formed. For investigations
of lumi-ergot alkaloids, ergometrine was used exemplarily
as it represents one of the six ergot alkaloids
predominantly formed by Claviceps purpurea. The main
reaction product, the less polar compound of the two lumiergometrine
epimers, was separated by HPLC and unambiguously
identified as 10-(S)-lumi-ergometrine using X-ray
structural analysis. A HPLC-MS/MS method was developed
for the detection of this substance in sclerotia extracts. Using
this method, the existence of both epimeric forms of lumiergometrine
could be proved in the sclerotia. This is the first
time that the existence of a lumi-transformation product of
ergot alkaloids was proved in naturally grown samples.
Aims: A laboratory study was conducted to evaluate the influence of cocultivation of toxigenic Fusarium (F.) and Alternaria (A.) fungi with respect to growth and mycotoxin production.
Methods and Results: Fusarium culmorum Fc13, Fusarium graminearum Fg23 and two Alternaria tenuissima isolates (At18 and At220) were simultaneously or consecutively co-incubated on wheat kernels in an in vitro test system. Fungal biomass was quantified by determining ergosterol content. Three Fusarium toxins (DON, NIV and ZON) and three Alternaria toxins (AOH, AME and ALT) were analysed by a newly developed HPLC/MS/MS method. In simultaneous cocultures, the fungal biomass was enhanced up to 460% compared with individual cultures; Alternaria toxins were considerably depressed down to <5%. Combining At18 and At220 with Fg23 inhibited the toxin production of both fungal partners. In contrast, Fc13 increased its DON and ZON production in competitive interaction with both A. strains.
Conclusions: The interfungal competitive effects aid the understanding of the processes of competition of both fungi in natural environments and the involvement of mycotoxins as antifungal factors.
Significance and Impact of Study:
Cocultivation significantly affects fungal growth and mycotoxin production of phytopathogenic Alternaria and Fusarium strains. The impact of mycotoxins on the interfungal competition is highlighted.
The role of mycotoxins in the microbial competition in an ecosystem or on the same host plant is still unclear. Therefore, a laboratory study was conducted to evaluate the influence of mycotoxins on growth and mycotoxin production of Fusarium and Alternaria fungi. Fusarium culmorum Fc13, Fusarium graminearum Fg23 and two Alternaria tenuissima isolates (At18 and At220) were incubated on wheat kernels supplemented with alternariol (AOH), tetramic acid derivates (TeA), deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEA) in an in vitro test system. Fungal biomass was quantified by determining ergosterol content. Three Fusarium toxins (DON, nivalenol and ZEA) and three Alternaria toxins (AOH, alternariol methyl ether (AME) and altenuene) were analysed by HPLC-MS/MS. If Alternaria strains grew in wheat kernels spiked with Fusarium mycotoxins, their growth rates were moderately increased, their AOH and AME production was enhanced and they were simultaneously capable of degrading the Fusarium mycotoxins DON and ZEA. In contrast, both Fusarium strains behaved quite differently. The growth rate of Fc13 was not distinctly influenced, while Fg23 increased its growth in wheat kernels spiked with AOH. TeA depressed the ergosterol content in Fc13 as well as in Fg23. The DON production of Fc13 was slightly depressed, whereas the ZEA production was significantly increased. In contrast, Fg23 restricted its ZEA production. Both Fusarium strains were not capable of degrading the Alternaria mycotoxin AOH. Mycotoxins might play an important role in the interfungal competitive processes. They influence growth rates and mycotoxin production of the antagonistic combatants. The observed effects between phytopathogenic Alternaria and Fusarium strains and their mycotoxins aid the understanding of the complexity of microbial competitive behaviour in natural environments.