We describe the use of capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) for the qualitative and quantitative determination of major alkaloids (i.e., thebaine, codeine, morphine, papavarine and narcotine) in gum opium involving the analysis of alkaloids without derivatization or purification. Three extractions with 2.5% w/v aqueous acetic acid quantitatively extracted major alkaloids. The separation was carried out by CZE using a 7:3 mixture of methanol and sodium acetate (100 mM, pH 3.1) at a potential of 15 kV, with UV detection at 224 nm. Spiking of pure reference alkaloid standards in the opium extract was used for peak identification. The influences of buffer composition, pH and voltage on the separation of alkaloids were studied. The detection limit of each alkaloid dissolved in methanol was found to be 850 ng/mL (morphine), 450 ng/mL (thebaine), 500 ng/mL (codeine), 550 ng/mL (papaverine), and 500 ng/mL (narcotine) at an injection pressure of 300 mbar (injection volume, 4 nL) with a signal-to-noise ratio of 3:1. The external standard method was used for the quantification of alkaloids. The calibration plot was based on linear regression analysis. The relative standard deviation (RSD) for peak area and migration time was in the range of 1.03-3.56% and 0.34-0.69%, respectively. Percentage compositions (g%) of opium alkaloids in five gum opium samples were found to be in the range of 14.45-15.95 (morphine), 2.0-3.45 (codeine), 1.32-2.73 (thebaine), 0.92-2.37 (papavarine), and 3.85-5.77 (narcotine). The method developed is suitable for the routine analysis of major gum opium alkaloids in samples of forensic importance.

Under a multicentre study conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research, 2,074 samples of maize were collected from rural and urban areas of 11 states representing different geographical regions of the country. These samples were analysed for aflatoxin B1 using the AOAC method. Analytical quality assurance between various participating laboratories was ensured through analysis of check-samples. About 26% of maize samples collected from 11 states exceeded the permissible Indian regulatory limit of 30 micrograms kg-1. No statistically significant difference in percentage of samples contaminated (> 30 micrograms kg-1) was observed between pooled rural (27.8%) and urban (23.7%) data. The maximum level of contamination of 666 micrograms kg-1 was observed in the state of Haryana. The median level of < 5 micrograms kg-1 was observed in the states of Gujarat, Haryana, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. In all other states studied, the median level was found to vary between 10 and 35 micrograms kg-1.

Under a multicentre study conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research, 2062 samples of groundnut were collected from rural and urban areas of 11 states representing different geographical regions of the country. These samples were analysed for aflatoxin B1 using the AOAC method. Analytical quality assurance between various participating laboratories was ensured through analysis of check-samples. Twenty-one per cent of groundnut samples collected from 11 states exceeded the permissible Indian regulatory limit of 30 micrograms/kg. No statistically significant difference in percentage of samples contaminated (> 30 micrograms/kg) were observed between pooled rural (22.9%) and urban (19.9%) data. Amongst the 11 states, the minimum and maximum per cent contamination respectively (> 30 micrograms/kg) was observed to be 15.2 in the state of Andhra Pradesh and 28.3 in the state of Haryana. The maximum level of contamination of 833 micrograms/kg was observed in the state of Gujarat. The median level of < 5 micrograms/kg was observed in the states of Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. In all other states studied, the median level was found to vary between 10 and 20 micrograms/kg. The 90th percentile values were high in Andhra Pradesh (125 micrograms/kg), Gujarat (111 micrograms/kg) and Haryana (110 micrograms/kg). In the remaining states the 90th percentile value ranged from 60 to 93 micrograms/kg. Analysis of pooled data showed the percentages of samples exceeding the level of contamination of 5 micrograms/kg and 15 micrograms/kg, respectively were 44.9% and 37.4% which therefore, showed a marked increase when compared with the per cent of samples exceeding 30 micrograms/kg in the overall data.

The effect of surfactants (two cationic, one anionic and three non-ionic) at 0.001, 0.01, 0.1 and 1.0 % concentrations on aflatoxin production, ergosterol content and sugar consumption by Aspergillus parasiticus (NRRL 2999) in YES liquid culture medium is reported. At 0.01% concentration, the cationic surfactants, cetyl dimethyl ammonium bromide (CDAB) and dodecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (DTAB), and the anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), completely inhibited spore germination, while DTAB also inhibited the production of ergosterol and toxin (p < 0.05). At a concentration of 0.001%, CDAB was found to enhance toxin production, while SDS was found to inhibit it when compared with other surfactants. Non-ionic surfactants, polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate (Tween-20), polyoxyethylene lauryl ether (Brij-35) and ethoxylated p-tert-octylphenol (Triton X-100) delayed the spore germination up to day 5 at all concentrations and inhibited toxin and ergosterol production at 0.001% concentration. The affect was found to be dose-dependent from 0.001% to 1%, for Triton X-100 only. Positive correlation between ergosterol content and toxin production in the presence of different surfactants at various time periods (3, 5, 7, 9 and 12 days) was found. Tween-20 was most effective in inhibiting toxin production on day 7, when aflatoxin production was found to be maximal in control group. Sugar consumption was directly proportional to the ergosterol content, showing a significant correlation with aflatoxin production.

The genotoxic potential of fumonisin B(1) (FB(1)) in vivo in BALB/c mice (male and female) was assessed by induction of micronuclei (MN) formation in bone marrow polychromatic erythrocytes. The ratio of polychromatic erythrocytes to normochromatic erythrocytes (PCE/NCE) was also determined. Mice were injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) with FB(1) at a low dose (0.1 mg kg(-1) body mass), middle dose (1.0 mg kg(-1) body mass) and high dose (10 mg kg(-1) body mass) as single and multiple doses in normal saline to test the genotoxicity. Mitomycin C, a known clastogen, was used as positive control. The frequency of MN and the PCE/NCE value in animals treated with FB(1) at low, middle, and high doses in single dose studies, and the frequency of MN in multiple dose studies, were statistically non-significant from that of the controls injected with saline only. The multiple dose studies at all doses revealed that the PCE/NCE value was found to be reduced upon exposure to FB(1) as compared to the controls. In animals injected with multiple low doses of FB(1), the PCE/NCE value was found to be 0.66 in males and 0.82 in the females; at multiple middle doses the value was 0.30 in males and 0.41 in the females and was statistically significant (p < 0.001); however, at multiple high doses, the ratio was found to be 0.36 in both males and females. The present study confirms that FB(1) is non-genotoxic in nature while the reduced ratio of PCE/NCE suggests the cytotoxic nature of FB(1).