INVITED KEYNOTE: MINERALOGICAL FACTORS IN REGULATING THE ADSORPTION AND DEGRADATION OF AFLATOXIN BY SMECTITES

Aflatoxins are carcinogenic metabolites produced by Aspergillus fungi. Occurrence of the mycotoxins in agricultural products is unavoidable due to drought, humidity, or insect stress. Among the 20 natural aflatoxins, aflatoxin B₁ is the most toxic to animals and humans. A holistic prevention, monitoring, and mitigation strategy is required to deal with aflatoxin contamination in food and feeds. Using smectites to bind aflatoxins in animal feed and human diet is culturally acceptable, economically feasible, and environmentally friendly, but not all smectites are capable of adsorbing aflatoxins. In this presentation, We will share 1) our findings on the critical mineralogical properties that determine the high selectivity and capacity of smectites for the mycotoxins; 2) progress on tacking the practical challenges of using the clays in animal feed; 3) preliminary test of removal of aflatoxins in biofuel production, and 4) identification of degradation products of aflatoxins on smectite at elevated temperatures mimicking feed and food processing. Both experimental observations and molecular modeling results will be presented for item 1).