The Toxicologist - Society of Toxicology

2228 AFB1 BINDING CAPACITIES OF EXCELERITE CLAY
SAMPLES FROM PANACA, NEVADA.
K. Zychowski1 , A. Marroquin-Cardona1 , Y. Deng2 and T. D. Phillips1 . 1College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX and 2Soil and
Crop Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX.
Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a mycotoxin mainly produced by the fungi Aspergillus flavus
and A. parasiticus, which commonly contaminate corn, peanut and other various
agricultural crops. This toxin is a known cause of aflatoxicosis and an important
contributing factor in liver cancer. In previous studies our laboratory has observed,
NovaSil (NS), a montmorillonite clay to be an active ingredient for aflatoxin adsorption.
It is expected that other montmorillonites besides NS clay will have similar
sorption capabilities, especially dioctahedral smectites. For instance, EX-
CELERITE (U.S. Natural Nutrient and Minerals Inc.) is a clay-based natural
product from a unique mine in Panaca, Nevada suspected to contain smectite.
Hence, our objectives in the present study were to investigate the mineral characteristics
and AFB1 binding potential of EXCELERITE by using X-ray diffraction
(XRD) techniques and isothermal adsorption analyses. Samples of EXCELERITE
were collected throughout 14 various regions of the mine and analyzed accordingly.
Based on Q-max calculations from isothermal data, NS appears to have a higher
AFB1 sorption capacity than the samples from the EXCELERITE mine. X-ray diffraction
patterns were run on the most promising samples to identify mineral content;
revealing the presence of smectite (most likely montmorillonite). The sample
with the best sorption characteristics was selected for further analysis, and the
clay:silt:sand ratio was determined. Sorption analysis was performed with the less
than 2μm component as well as in a combination with NS in a 1:1 ratio. Q-max
values for the samples are as follows: NS 0.38, 1:1 mixed sample 0.22, half-NS
(50mg) 0.18, 0.05). There was statistically significant decrease in the weight of the testis at
1000mg/kg (p