Abstract: A high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) method was developed for the simultaneous detection of 13 mycotoxins including aflatoxins, zearalenone, and trichothecenes in peanut and corn oils. Samples were extracted with acetonitrile-water, followed by clean-up with a MultiSep 226 multifunctional column. The positive electrospray ionization mode (ESI+) and negative electrospray ionization mode (ESI-) were respectively employed to acquire signals. The mobile phase for ESI+ was composed of 0.1% formic acid containing 2 mmol/L ammonium formate (solvent A) and methanol (solvent B), while that for ESI- consisted of 0.1% ammonia water (solvent A) and acetonitrile (solvent B). The limits of detections (LODs) for 13 mycotoxins in peanut and corn oils ranged from 0.05 to 3.00 μg/kg and the limits of quantification (LOQ) ranged from 0.10 to 10.00 μg/kg. The mean recoveries ranged from 66.6% to 114.9%. The method developed in the present study had the advantages of simple operation, high sensitivity and good reproducibility, and so it could be used for the detection of multi-mycotoxins in peanut and corn oils.

Key words: mycotoxin, peanut oil, corn oil, high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry