Application of Graphitized Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Combined with Orbitrap High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry for the Rapid Detection of Ten Toxins in Wild Mushrooms.

Abstract

Wild mushroom poisoning is an emerging global food safety issue, especially in subtropical regions like southwestern China, where incidents are geographically clustered. Current detection methods are often time-consuming and overlook region-specific toxins. We developed a rapid, sensitive, and accurate method for the simultaneous detection of ten characteristic mushroom toxins prevalent in Guizhou, China. The method combines graphite multi-walled carbon nanotubes (G-MWCNTs) for sample preparation with Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). Wild mushroom samples were extracted via ultrasonic-assisted methanol-water extraction, purified using G-MWCNTs, and separated on a Hypersil GOLD C18 column (100 mm × 2.1 mm, 1.9 μm). Gradient elution was performed with 0.1% formic acid + 0.01% ammonia and acetonitrile; quantification used the external standard method. The method achieved LODs of 0.005-0.2 mg/kg and LOQs of 0.015-0.6 mg/kg, with RSDs below 18.11% and excellent linearity (R² = 0.9936-0.9989). Among 45 wild mushroom samples, toxin levels ranged from 0.032 to 445.10 mg/kg, with a detection rate of 22.22%, suggesting notable poisoning risk. This method reduces pretreatment time while ensuring high analytical performance, offering a reliable tool for rapid toxin screening and supporting regional surveillance of wild mushroom poisoning.