Detection of fumonisin C1, C2 and C3 in corn powder by LC - Orbitrap MS

Detection of fumonisin C1, C2 and C3 (FCs) in a reference material of corn powder was performed with LC-Orbitrap MS. The peaks of FCs were eluted 0.1 ~ 0.3 min earlier than those of fumonisin B1, B2 and B3 (FBs), from the C18 column, probably due to the lacking of terminal C-1 methyl group of FB molecule structures. At negative ionization mode scan with LC-MS analysis, the fragment ions of the tricarballylic acid (TCA) and characteristic fumonisin ions lacking TCA were detected at the identical retention times with those of respective parent FCs. Mass fragmentation patterns of FCs were confirmed to be almost in consistent with those of FBs. This study is the first report of natural co-occurrence of FC1, FC2, and FC3 in corn powder.