Fikret Nafi Çoksöyler - Can Eng. R&D Comp. Yüzüncü Yıl University, Teknokent, Van Turkey
Şennur Özkaya - Can Eng. R&D Comp. Yüzüncü Yıl University, Teknokent, Van Turkey
Can Çoköyler - Can Eng. R&D Comp. Yüzüncü Yıl University, Teknokent, Van Turkey
Berfin Elmas - Hakkari University, Çölemerik MYO, Hakkari Turkey

Aflatoxin analysis is costly because of disposable IAK extract clean- up cartridges and very expensive HPLC equipment. Qualitative determination of aflatoxins cost reasonable in food by the use of classical TLC apparatus (glass TLC chambers and UV Cabinet), but the resolution of spots of aflatoxins are poor and quantification by scanners expensive more than HPLC, For these reasons, HPLC is the only equipment used for quantitative aflatoxin determination in the western world. In recent years, at Techno-city of Yüzüncü Yıl University (Van, Turkey), we developed a TLC system for the quantitative determination of aflatoxins in foods. The system is consist of three main parts; automated sample extract applicator, semi-automated Continuous TLC Chamber and Densitometric UV Cabinet. The system uses one 10X10 cm Silica gel plate and 5 ml developing solvent for 14 applications (5 for serial standards for the calibration curve and 9 for samples). The application volume of sample extract for any spot can be arranged as 10-30 ul (for CB or BF methods) or 100-500 ul (for LAC clean-up). All of the spots can be applied simultaneously and diameters of spots can be arranged (between 2 to 5 mm). Duration of plate development can be decided as long as you want so that any spot of interested can be moved to the upper part of the plate. The resolution of the spots is > 1.0 in all circumstances (generally 1.0-2.0). Detection and quantification of aflatoxins are performed in Densitometric UV Cabinet. No Cobra-cell or any other derivatizations is used and Detection limits of Cabinet for AFB1 and AFGlis about 0.05-0.1 ng. The calibration curve can (CC) be modeled as linear or logarithmic and R-square value of CC is bigger than 0.99 in both cases System is used in aflatoxin determination in pistachio. BF method used for the extraction of samples. A portion of the same samples analyzed at the accreditated laboratory (they used LAC clean-up, reverse phase HPLC and post-column derivatization). Acceptable conformity is obtained between two application results. The system is also tested officially at aflatoxin determination in figs. According to the test report; a series of 14 contaminated fig samples are prepared samples are extracted, and extracts are cleaned- up by LAC. Then each extract is analyzed by HPLC and by The TLC System. The TLC System results versus HPLC (official, reference method) are evaluated by a series of statistical methods (paired test, Youden two plot test,) As a result of comparison, The our TLC System showed full compliance with the official method (HPLC) at the 2-140 ng/g range.

Thin Layer Chromatography, HPLC, JAC, Aflatoxins, Quantification, Pistachio, Dried fig