Abstract
A microcomputer was interfaced to an instrument (spotmeter) previously designed to measure the fluorescent intensity of aflatoxin spots on thin layer chromatography (TLC) plates. Software was developed that uses a cubic regression equation to describe the relationships between the spotmeter readings and the known quantities of aflatoxin in standard spots on TLC plates. The regression technique also provides methods to detect spotting and/or measurement errors. Based on the regression equation and measurements of sample extract spots on the same TLC plate, the system computes and records the amount of aflatoxin in the sample extract spots and the concentration of aflatoxin that was in the extracted sample. The percent error associated with computed amounts of aflatoxin in sample extract spots is affected by the amount of aflatoxin in the sample extract spots and standard spots on the plate. The average percent error ranged from 14.9% for a 2.6 ng spot of 4.1% for a 13 ng spot.
Full Article Available as PDF only - Use Download Feature
Keywords: peanuts, aflatoxin, TLC, computer system
How to Cite:
Whitaker, T. & Dickens, J. & Slate, A., (1990) “Computerized System to Quantify Aflatoxin Using Thin Layer Chromatography¹”, Peanut Science 17(2), p.96-100. doi: https://doi.org/10.3146/i0095-3679-17-2-12