Mycotoxins are a class of compounds produced by certain strains of fungi or molds. These compounds may be toxic. Human health hazards and laboratory animals health hazards are possibly due to mycotoxin contaminated foods. The continuation project purposes are as follows: (1) To develop a method using supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) for extraction of aflatoxins from peanut butter and grains, (2) To continue to study cyclic voltammetry properties of mycotoxins - Aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, G2, aflatoxicol, and patulin using electrochemical reduction in various pH media, (3) To determine the number of electrons transferred and propose the possible organic mechanisms involved, and (4) To determine the percentage recoveries of spiked samples of aflatoxins. Undergraduate students knowledge will be enhanced by operating polarographic equipment HPLC instrument, and SFE equipment. Knowledge will also be gained with analytical skills, techniques and presentations.
