A sensitive enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay for detection of T‐2 toxin with monoclonal antibodies

Abstract

Six monoclonal antibodies (mAbs, T‐2.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) which react with a trichothecene mycotoxin, T‐2 toxin (T‐2), were prepared. All antibodies specifically reacted with T‐2 but less (0.5% of T‐2) with the metabolites such as HT‐2 toxin and 3'‐hydroxy‐T‐2 toxin. Significant but less than 0.02% cross‐reactivity was observed with T‐2 triol, 3'‐hydroxy‐HT‐2 toxin and neosolaniol. No significant reaction with other trichothecenes such as deoxynivalenol, nivalenol, fusarenon‐X, crotocin, or roridin A was observed. The least detectable amount of T‐2 with the best mAb T‐2.1 was 2.5 pg T‐2 per assay. This specific and highly sensitive assay for T‐2 was applied for the quantitation of T‐2 in wheat flour spiked with mycotoxin, with combination of a simple extraction procedure.