UV-VIS spectrometry is one of the methods to detect aflatoxins, they absorb the UV light at around 360 nm. What happens if aflatoxins are degradated? Do the degradation products still absorb the light at the same wavelenght?
Hello Natasa!
Though I am not entirely sure, I think that the absorption and fluorescence of aflatoxins mainly depends on the lactone rings in their structures. Thus, whether the degradation products of aflatoxins still have this fluorescence would depend upon the degradation mechnaism. I know two degradation mechanisms of aflatoxins, in one, the lactone ring of aflatoxins is reduced, which would lead to reduced fluorescence. In the other, the bisfuran moitey is "attacked", which would probably lead to degradation products which still exhibit fluorescence. In that case, I am not sure, though, as I think the group was not able to identify degradation products at all. If you are further interested in this, I could send you the papers I got this information from.
All the best!
I think depending on the degradation mechanism, you can get a secondary remnant.
I just reread the paper which describes the mechanism in which the bisfuran moiety is "attacked". This actually happens by the enzyme AFO of the fungus Armariella tabescence (sorry, the name might be slightly misspelled), and the degradation products were shown to still show app. the same fluorescence has the aflatoxins themselves.
The detection of aflatoxin (AF) degradation products at same wavelength with the AF molecule depends on the structure of the degraded product. If the product still has an intact lactone ring and consequent similar structure with the AF molecule, yes it will. However, if not, it will not be detected. You will therefore need other equipments such as LC-MS/MS or GC-MS to investigate such
You can apply multivariate curve resolution to the photo degradation study of aflatoxin. MCR algorithom revealed in context collect data uv analysis of aflatoxin solution . you can study the kinetic pathway to follow first order reaction.The modern multivariate approach give high ability to study in depth kinetic of photolabile drugs by resolution of the components evolving along the degradation process.
See same type of incident study ....application of multivariate curve resolution to the photo degradation study of melatonin, Michele De Luca and Gaetano Rango, Italy.
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