Determination of the cyanobacterial toxin cylindrospermopsin in algal food supplements

Abstract

For the analysis of blue–green algal food supplements for cylindrospermopsin (CYN), a C18 solid-phase extraction column and a polygraphitized carbon solid-phase extraction column in series was an effective procedure for the clean-up of extracts. Determination of CYN was by liquid chromatography with ultraviolet light detection. At extract spiking levels of CYN equivalent to 25–500 µg g⁻¹, blue–green algal supplement recoveries were in the range 70–90%. CYN was not detected in ten samples of food supplements and one chocolate product, all containing blue–green algae. The limit of detection for the method was 16 µg g⁻¹, and the limit of quantification was 52 µg g⁻¹.

Keywords:

• high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)
• clean-up
• phycotoxins
• dietary supplements

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the Office of the Chief Scientist, Health Canada, for a Fellowship awarded to H.L.