ARS | Publication request: DETECTION OF ZEARALENONE AND RELATED METABOLITES IN MAIZE BY FLUORESCENCE POLARIZATION IMMUNOASSAY

Submitted to: International IUPAC Symposium on Mycotoxins and Phycotoxins
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: May 21, 2004
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: Zearalenone is an estrogenic mycotoxin produced by several fungi, in particular Fusarium graminearum, and is commonly found in grain throughout the world. The native fluorescence of zearalenone (ZEN) has been used to the advantage for detection of this compound by instrumental methods such as HPLC. Antibody-based screening assays such enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) have existed for a number of years for determination of ZEN and related metabolites. While convenient, the ELISAs for small molecules such as ZEN require a washing step to separate the bound and unbound enzyme label before detection. Fluorescence polarization (FP) immunoassays do not require a separation step and therefore, with fewer manipulations, have the potential to be more rapid. A FP immunoassay was developed for the detection of ZEN in maize. When combined with a rapid extraction, the assay was capable of detecting as little as 0.11 microgram ZEN/g maize within 10 min. Recovery of ZEN over the range of 0.5 to 5 microgram/g averaged 100.2%. Comparison of the FP immunoassay with an HPLC method for the analysis of 60 maize samples yielded good agreement.