AVS 53rd International Symposium
    Applied Surface Science Thursday Sessions
       Session AS-ThP

Paper AS-ThP2
ToF-SIMS as a Reliable Tool for Cyanobacterial Toxic Molecules Research

Thursday, November 16, 2006, 5:30 pm, Room 3rd Floor Lobby

Session: Aspects of Applied Surface Science Poster Session
Presenter: L. Houssiau, University of Namur, Belgium
Authors: C. Bittencourt, University of Namur, Belgium
H. Sarmento, University of Namur, Belgium
J.-P. Descy, University of Namur, Belgium
J.-J. Pireaux, University of Namur, Belgium
L. Houssiau, University of Namur, Belgium
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In a previous work@footnote 1@ we have demonstrated that ToF-SIMS (Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry) is a reliable tool to probe bixin, a natural carotenoid used as food colorant, present in bixa orelana seeds. In this work, we have applied the technique to the analysis of cyanobacterial toxic molecules. Toxin production by cyanobacteria is a prominent research topic due to the increasing occurrence of these organisms following eutrophication and global warming as well as due to its association with human diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/Parkinsonism dementia complex (ALS/PDC). Among several toxins that threaten the current life microcystins and β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) come into view as important cases of studies due to their proximity to human life. To assess the specific hazards of cyanobacterial toxic molecules it is necessary to understand their chemical and physical properties. We show that ToF-SIMS can be use as an important complementary tool in the characterization of cyanobacterial toxic molecules. Standards were studied in order to obtain reference spectra. We found that the parent molecules are readily detected by means of (M) and (M+1) molecular ions. The spectra recorded on the BMAA exhibit high intensity peak m/z 118, which can be related to the parent molecule along with mass ions fragments which can be understood from the molecular structure. Similar results were found for Microsystin-LR; the parent molecule at m/z 995.56 and its related fragments. The sensibility of the ToF-SIMS to analyze cyanotoxins shows that this technique is a potential tool for its analysis. @FootnoteText@@footnote 1@L. Houssiau, M. Felicissimo, C. Bittencourt and J.J. Pireaux, Appl. Surf. Sci. 231-232 (2004) 416.