Enhancing food contaminant surveillance capacity using ultra-performance liquid chromatography with UV/fluorescence detection

项目摘要/摘要： 密苏里大学(MU)兽医诊断实验室(VMDL)是唯一提供全方位服务的 由美国兽医实验室协会认可的兽医诊断实验室 密苏里州的诊断专家(AAVLD)。三十多年来，MU VMDL的诊断毒理学 和分析化学科(DTACS)提供了关键的分析支持，以检测各种 潜在的毒物，特别是黄曲霉毒素和麦角碱，污染牲畜饲料和宠物 食物。因为这些和其他食物污染物不仅会伤害动物，还会导致 供人食用的食品中存在污染物残留物，即食品污染物 VET-LIRN的监测活动必须灵敏、准确、快速和具有成本效益。VMDL DTACS是 完全致力于扩展其分析能力，以更好地支持全州、区域和国家诊断 需求，以及更多地参与兽医-LIRN的监测工作，旨在减少 动物和人类的食源性疾病。尊敬的DTACS分析化学家杜祥伟博士和蒂姆·埃文斯博士， DTACS负责人，将担任联合首席调查员。杜博士在与Vet-LIRN和 发展和优化诊断方法。同时帮助FDA确定 最近宠物食品污染涉及黄曲霉毒素，杜和埃文斯得出结论，高效液体 DTACS使用的色谱(HPLC)分离方法不再能够提供最佳的和 一致测量诊断样本中极低浓度的常见食品污染物和 无法充分满足Vet-LIRN在牲畜广泛分布的情况下的大容量、快速反应需求 饲料或宠物食品受到污染。考虑到许多公立、赠与土地的大学面临的财政紧张， 包括MU在内，MU VMDL DTAC更新其分析能力的努力必须在 战略性和循序渐进的态度。用超高性能液体取代高效液相仪器的性能 层析(UPLC或UHPLC)，将提供四倍的样品处理速度和至少五倍的 污染物检测分辨率比高效液相色谱更高。这一升级将立即增强分析 DTACS诊断服务的能力，为今后的分析能力扩展提供平台，以及 允许更多地参与Vet-LIRN的食品污染物监测工作。这样做的具体目的是 资助建议包括：1)购买一台新的带有紫外线和荧光探测器的UPLC；2)使用 UPLC测定各种不同基质中的真菌毒素，特别是黄曲霉毒素和麦角碱； 以及3)开发利用UPLC测定大麻素和其他分析物的新方法，特别是那些 对Vet-LIRN感兴趣，在选定的矩阵中。这些具体目标的实现将充分扩大 DTACS的分析能力既有助于改进诊断服务，也更有意义 为VET-LIRN加强人类和动物食品安全的使命做出贡献。

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT: The University of Missouri (MU) Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (VMDL) is the only full-service veterinary diagnostic laboratory accredited by the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD) in the state of Missouri. For over thirty years, the MU VMDL’s Diagnostic Toxicology and Analytical Chemistry Section (DTACS) has provided critical analytical support to detect a variety of potential toxicants, especially aflatoxins and ergopeptine alkaloids that contaminate livestock feeds and pet foods. Because these and other food contaminants can not only harm animals but can also result in the presence of contaminant residues in foodstuffs intended for human consumption, the food contaminant surveillance activities of Vet-LIRN must be sensitive, accurate, rapid, and cost-effective. The VMDL DTACS is fully committed to expand its analytical capacity to better support statewide, regional, and national diagnostic needs, as well as increase participation in Vet-LIRN’s surveillance efforts intended to reduce the incidence of foodborne illness in animals and humans. Dr. Xiangwei Du, DTACS Analytical Chemist, and Dr. Tim Evans, DTACS Head, will serve as Co-Principal Investigators. Dr. Du has expertise in working with Vet-LIRN and the development and optimization of diagnostic methods. While helping the FDA to determine the scope of a recent pet food contamination involving aflatoxins, Du and Evans concluded that the high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) separation methods used by the DTACS could no longer provide optimal and consistent measurement of very low concentrations of common food contaminants in diagnostic samples and could not adequately meet Vet-LIRN’s high-volume, rapid-response needs in instances of widespread livestock feed or pet food contamination. Given the financial constraints facing many public, land-grant universities, including MU, the efforts of the MU VMDL DTACS to update its analytical capabilities must proceed in a strategic and stepwise manner. The replacement of HPLC instrument capabilities with ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC or UHPLC), will provide four times faster sample processing and at least five times greater contaminant detection resolution than HPLC. This upgrade will immediately enhance the analytical capabilities of the DTACS diagnostic services, provide a platform for future analytical capacity expansion, and allow increased participation in Vet-LIRN’s food contaminant surveillance efforts. The Specific Aims of this grant proposal are 1) purchase a new UPLC with UV and fluorescence detectors; 2) optimize methods using UPLC to measure mycotoxins, especially aflatoxins and ergopeptine alkaloids, in various different matrices; and 3) develop new methods using UPLC to measure cannabinoids and other analytes, particularly those of interest to Vet-LIRN, in selected matrices. Accomplishment of these Specific Aims will sufficiently expand the analytical capacity of the DTACS to facilitate both improved diagnostic services and more meaningful contributions to Vet-LIRN’s mission to enhance human and animal food safety.