Deep eutectic solvent-based supramolecular solvent for dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction of aflatoxin B1 from safflower oil seeds prior to HPLC

Abstract

Many foods and feeds may be contaminated with toxic mycotoxins such as aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁). Aflatoxin toxicity can lead to diverse harmful effects such as cancer, liver toxicity, and birth defects. Consequently, it is essential to establish a selective and efficient technique for analyzing AFB₁ levels in foods. In the current work, a dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction method based on a supramolecular solvent was developed for the rapid assessment of aflatoxin B₁ levels in safflower seeds via high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with fluorescence detection. In this procedure, a deep eutectic solvent-based supramolecular solvent was prepared by dispersing 1-dodecanol in a choline chloride:ethylene glycol solution. This prepared solvent was then used as the extractant in the dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction step. The effects of significant parameters were investigated and optimized using a “one-parameter-at-a-time” method. Under optimal conditions, a wide linearity range of 0.09–250 ng g⁻¹ and an acceptable extraction recovery (69%) were achieved. The limits of detection and quantification were found to be 0.03 and 0.09 ng g⁻¹, respectively. Furthermore, the relative standard deviations for intra- and inter-day precisions were ≤5.9%. As a result, the present method was successfully applied to monitor aflatoxin B₁ levels in safflower seeds.