Development and validation of an analytical method for determination of citrinin in red rice and red yeast rice-based food supplements by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.

Citrinin is a hepato-nephrotoxic mycotoxin produced by fungal species. The Monascus purpureus fungus plays a crucial role in the fermentation of red rice to produce red yeast rice-based food supplements, which represent the primary source of human exposure to citrinin. In this study, a simple and sensitive analytical method was successfully developed and validated for the citrinin determination in these products.

Application of ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to the analysis of priority pesticides in groundwater.

Ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) has been applied for the accurate and rapid analysis of nine trace level priority pesticides in water. The UPLC technology, based on the use of columns packed with 1.7 microm porous particles combined with higher pressures than those conventionally applied in HPLC, enabled to improve in peak resolution, sensitivity and speed of analysis.