Novel quadrupole-time of flight-based methodology for determination of multiple mycotoxins in human hair

Abstract

The potential of hair as matrix for assessing long-term exposure to mycotoxins remains scarcely explored. Therefore, this study aimed to develop and validate an analytical methodology for the simultaneous determination of aflatoxins, enniatins, beauvericin and T-2 toxin in human hair, based on a pretreatment stage prior to salt-assisted liquid-liquid extraction and followed by high performance liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution Q-TOF mass spectrometry for the first time. Washing with a non-ionic detergent was successfully applied, whereas enzymatic digestion with Pronase E was mandatory for releasing mycotoxins from the hair matrix. The methodology was validated according to Commission Decision 2002/657/EC, with limits of quantification ranging from 0.6 to 8.7 ng/g. The analysis of 10 samples showed at least one mycotoxin occurring in 67% of samples, including the carcinogenic aflatoxins. This is the first validated methodology for the quantification of multiple mycotoxins in human hair.

Keywords: Enzymatic digestion; Hair; Mycotoxins; Q-TOF-HRMS; Salt-assisted liquid–liquid extraction.