SHORT COMMUNICATION
Analysis of Zearalenone in Aqueous
Environment Using GC-MS
Mariusz Dudziak
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Faculty of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Silesian University of Technology,
Konarskiego 18, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2011;20(1):231-235
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
In the article the method of the analysis of zearalenone in the aqueous environment using GC-MS chromatography
with electron ionization (EI) is described. The separation of zearalenone from the aqueous matrix
was performed by means of solid phase extraction with the use of SupelcleanTM ENVI-18 tubes. Extraction
efficiency was determined by the analysis of deionized and tap water samples of volume ranging from 100 to
500 cm3, and zearalenone concentrations varying from 50 to 200 ng/dm3. Chromatography analysis was preceded
by the derivatization of samples via silylation reaction using a ternary mixture of BSTFA/TMCS/DTE.
The developed method enabled us to determine the content of zearalenone in aqueous environment at a concentration
level from 0.3 to 0.5 ng/dm3, with the repeatability of the analysis 4-8%. The efficiency of the
extraction exceeded 62% and depended on the investigated matrix and the volume of analyzed sample. In the
final stage of the study the analysis of 500 cm3 samples of natural water collected in the Upper Silesia Region
was performed. The determined concentration of zearalenone was in the range from 0 to 3.2 ng/dm3, depending
on the character of the analyzed sample.