Effects of pulsed ultrasound at 20 kHz on the sonochemical degradation of mycotoxins

Mycotoxins, such as aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁), deoxynivalenol (DON), zearalenone (ZEA) and ochratoxin A (OTA) are toxic secondary compounds that can reduce the quality of many kinds of food and may lead to other ill effects, both in humans and animals. This study aimed to investigate the potential of the ultrasound (US) treatment in the removal of AFB₁, DON, ZEA and OTA from aqueous solution and maize by examining degradation rates and influencing factors of ultrasonication, such as the initial concentrations, power intensity, sonication duration, and duty cycle. The results showed that US treatment could simultaneously reduce AFB₁, DON, ZEA and OTA effectively in aqueous solution. The degradation of mycotoxins was significantly affected by the ultrasonic intensity (2.2-11 W/cm³) and sonication time range from 10 to 50 min. DON is more stable than AFB₁, ZEA, and OTA in the US treatment. It was found that, for the first time to our knowledge, the highest degradation rates of AFB₁, DON, ZEA and OTA were attained at a duty cycle of 25%, and they were 96.5, 60.8, 95.9 and 91.6%, respectively. US strategy can be considered as an effective treatment to degrade the mycotoxins in aqueous solutions and food matrix.