A single run UPLC-MS/MS method for detection of all EU-regulated marine toxins

Abstract

A UPLC-MS/MS method has been developed for identification and quantification of hydrophilic and lipophilic marine toxins. The method included the determination of 14 toxins of STX group, 15 lipophilic toxins, 15 toxins of the TTX group and DA. LODs and LOQs for STX group were significantly improved in comparison to the official validated methods and at the same level than other UPLC-MS/MS published methods. The same for lipophilic toxins, with better LODs and LOQs than the EU official method. LOD and LOQ for DA were higher than those obtained with the EU official method. While for TTXs LOD and LOQ were comparable to other validated methods. Validation studies demonstrated acceptable method performance characteristics for linearity, and repeatability between-batch and within-batch. The study demonstrated that the UPLC-MS/MS method provides an excellent tool to determinate hydrophilic and lipophilic toxins and therefore it could be appropriate for routine testing and interlaboratory validation.

Keywords: Liquid chromatography; Marine toxins; Mass spectrometry.