THE USE OF MgO-SiO2 NANOCOMPOSITE FOR ADSORPTION OF AFLATOXIN IN WHEAT FLOUR SAMPLES

Aflatoxin is a fatal toxin that causes liver tumor and hepatitis, and is produced mostly by Aspergillus flavus on food and culture media. In this in vitro lab trial study we used nanocomposite MgO-SiO2 for aflatoxin adsorption in wheat flour samples. A.flavus was isolated from decaying bread, and incubated for one week in room temperature. The produced aflatoxin was extracted by chloroform, and thin-layer chromatography was carried out for aflatoxin detection. Ten titers (5-1000 ppm) of extracted aflatoxin were prepared and added to 1 gram of wheat flour in separate tubes and incubated at room temperature for 30 min. Then 1 mL of nanocomposite MgO-SiO2 was added to each tube, shook for 30 min, and washed 3 times with saline. The amount of aflatoxin in each sample was measured by high performance liquid chromatography method. It showed that nanocomposite MgO-SiO2 was an effective adsorbing agent for aflatoxin, and the amount of reduction is related to aflatoxin concentration, i.e., 100% removal for 5-20 ppm, about 95% removal for 40100 ppm, and about 80% removal for 200-1000 ppm. If the results could be repeated by other investigators, it is hoped that MgO-SiO2 may become industrially and medically of widespread use for removal of aflatoxin in stockpiled wheat and flour. Other mycotoxins may be treated by similar methods.