Removal of Aflatoxin B<sub>1</sub> Using Alfalfa Leaves as an Adsorbent Material: A Comparison between Two In Vitro Experimental Models
María de Jesús Nava-Ramírez,
Alma Vázquez-Durán,
Juan de Dios Figueroa-Cárdenas,
Daniel Hernández-Patlán,
Bruno Solís-Cruz,
Guillermo Téllez-Isaías,
Carlos López-Coello,
Abraham Méndez-Albores
Affiliations
María de Jesús Nava-Ramírez
Unidad de Investigación Multidisciplinaria (UIM) L14 (Alimentos, Micotoxinas y Micotoxicosis), Facultad de Estudios Superiores Cuautitlán (FES-C), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuautitlán Izcalli 54714, Mexico
Alma Vázquez-Durán
Unidad de Investigación Multidisciplinaria (UIM) L14 (Alimentos, Micotoxinas y Micotoxicosis), Facultad de Estudios Superiores Cuautitlán (FES-C), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuautitlán Izcalli 54714, Mexico
Juan de Dios Figueroa-Cárdenas
Cinvestav-IPN Unidad de Querétaro, Libramiento Norponiente No. 2000, Fraccionamiento Real de Juriquilla, Queretaro 76230, Mexico
Daniel Hernández-Patlán
UIM L5, FES-C, UNAM, Mexico City 54714, Mexico
Bruno Solís-Cruz
UIM L5, FES-C, UNAM, Mexico City 54714, Mexico
Guillermo Téllez-Isaías
Division of Agriculture, Department of Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
Carlos López-Coello
Departamento de Medicina y Zootecnia de Aves, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, UNAM, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
Abraham Méndez-Albores
Unidad de Investigación Multidisciplinaria (UIM) L14 (Alimentos, Micotoxinas y Micotoxicosis), Facultad de Estudios Superiores Cuautitlán (FES-C), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuautitlán Izcalli 54714, Mexico
An adsorbent material derived from alfalfa leaves was prepared and further characterized, and its efficacy for removing aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) was investigated. Characterization consisted of the use of attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), point of zero charge (pHpzc), zeta potential (ζ-potential), UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and spectral analysis. To determine the adsorption capacity against AFB1 (250 ng AFB1/mL), pH-dependent and avian intestinal in vitro models were used. The adsorbent inclusion percentage was 0.5% (w/w). In general, the pH-dependent model gave adsorption percentages of 98.2%, 99.9%, and 98.2%, evaluated at pH values of 2, 5, and 7, respectively. However, when the avian intestinal model was used, it was observed that the adsorption percentage of AFB1 significantly decreased (88.8%). Based on the characterization results, it is proposed that electrostatic, non-electrostatic, and the formation of chlorophyll-AFB1 complexes were the main mechanisms for AFB1 adsorption. From these results, it can be concluded that the adsorbent derived from alfalfa leaves could be used as an effective material for removing AFB1 in in vitro digestion models that mimic the physiological reality.
