title: High-pressure liquid chromatography of the mycotoxins, rubratoxins A and B, and its application to the analysis of urine and plasma for rubratoxin B.
abstract: The rubratoxins are toxic metabolites produced by Penicillium rubrum and P. purpurogenum on food and feedstuffs. Rubratoxin B is hepatotoxic, mutagenic and teratogenic. Rubratoxins A and B were resolved as sharp peaks in the order A-B by reversed-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography on a small-particle (10 micrometer) column in 3 min by an acetonitrile-water-ethyl acetate elution solvent (11:9.9:3), with detection by ultraviolet absorbance at 254 nm. The relationship between peak height and quantity injected was linear over a range of 0.25-5 microgram for rubratoxin A and 0.05-5 microgram for rubratoxin B. Retention time and peak height and peak area were highly reproducible for both toxins. Detection was very sensitive, allowing detection of 3-5 ng rubratoxin B, and 15-20 ng rubratoxin A. Quantitative recovery of rubratoxin B from spiked urine samples was obtained over a range of 5-40 microgram/ml, with maximum recovery from urine samples adjusted to pH 2 before extraction. Good recovery of rubratoxin B was also obtained from spiked plasma samples subjected to treatment with 3 N hydrochloric acid followed by extraction with ethyl acetate.
mesh_terms: D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D009183:Mycotoxins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D009183:Mycotoxins