Application of experimental design to the development of an HPLC method for the analysis of ochratoxin A in Triticum aestivum grain

Abstract

Ochratoxin A is a mycotoxin, a natural product of Aspergillus and Penicillium species. It can be present in grain from Triticum aestivum, (Graminae) and other starch-abundant cereals. This paper describes the investigation of ochratoxin A in grain from Triticum aestivum using a statistically optimized HPLC method. The assay was developed using two mathematical statistical models: factorial design and response surface mapping. The final step was to optimize the values of variables by response surface design. The analysis of variance 'ANOVA' method was applied to the analytical results in order to construct an adequate model. The optimal experimental conditions obtained by the response surface diagram method were: pH = 2.5, composition of the mobile phase acetonitrile: water 55:45 v/v and flow rate 1.0 ml/min. with a C18 column. Retention time and capacity factor for ochratotoxin A were 7.46 min. and 1.19, respectively.