DETECTION OF AFLATOXIN USING QUARTZ CRYSTAL MICROBALANCE

Aflatoxins are naturally occurring mycotoxins that are produced by many species of Aspergillus, a fungus, most notably Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. Aflatoxins are toxic and among the most carcinogenic substances known. They aren’t destroyed by thermal procedures. Quartz Crystal Microbalance is an ultrasensitive piezoelectric method for detection of aflatoxin in concentrations under the value 4 ng/ml (ppb) – current maximum permitted levels set by European Commission. In this method, the quartz crystal surface was coated with a self-assembled monolayer of ethanethiol. Aflatoxins B1 and M1 were diluted in methanol. To obtain the calibration curve, several samples with various concentration of aflatoxin were measured.