Use of small charcoal/alumina cleanup columns in determination of trichothecene mycotoxins in foods and feeds

Small charcoal/alumina cleanup columns have been effectively used to remove interfering materials from grain, feed, and food extracts prior to chromatographic determination of trichothecene mycotoxins. A thin layer chromatographic method has been developed that can simultaneously detect part per billion concentrations of deoxynivalenol, fusarenon X, nivalenol, T-2 toxin, HT-2 toxin, neosolaniol, and diacetoxyscirpenol in food and feed samples. Recoveries of 90-99% can be obtained. The use of charcoal/alumina cleanup columns in conjunction with liquid chromatography and gas chromatography of trichothecenes is also discussed.