Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry for multi-residue analysis of mycotoxins and pesticides in botanical nutraceuticals
In this 2020 paper published in the journal Toxins, Narváez et al. of Spain and Italy present the results of their attempt to use a specific type of chromatography and spectrometry in order to analyze the amount of mycotoxins and pesticides in nutraceuticals made from Cannabis sativa and other botanicals. The authors developed specific procedures associated with a “methodology using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS).” After testing their methodology on 10 cannabidiol (CBD) supplements, they found numerous mycotoxins and dozens of pesticides. They conclude that their “results highlight the necessity of monitoring contaminants in food supplements in order to ensure safe consumption” while also demonstrating the effectiveness of their methodology in doing so.
