Investigation of various adsorbents for their ability to bind aflatoxin B1.

The contamination of animal feed with mycotoxins represents a worldwide problem for the animal industry. The most applied method for protecting animals against aflatoxicosis is the utilization of clay minerals. In the course of a research project adsorption experiments were performed in buffer solutions in order to evaluate the ability to bind Aflatoxin B1 (AfB1) at various pH-values. In order to investigate the strength of binding, the chemisorption index was calculated. Isothermal analysis was used to determine the values for the maximum adsorption capacity. Adsorption experiments in simulated gastrointestinal fluid and real gastric juice were carried out. Furthermore binding capability of the materials regarding selected vitamins was examined. Special attention was paid to the formation of AfB2a during experimental conditions. Based on the obtainedin vitro results, highly promising sorbent materials were ranked for furtherin vivo studies. Some adsorbing bentonites were also analysed mineralogically, but the results did not indicate which smectite property influences the adsorption process for AfB1.