Application of atmospheric cold plasma for zearalenone detoxification in cereals: Kinetics, mechanisms, and cytotoxicity analysis

Mengjie Liu; Junxia Feng; Yongqin Fan; Xudong Yang; Ruike Chen; Cui Xu; Hangbo Xu; Dongjie Cui; Ruixue Wang; Zhen Jiao; Ruonan Ma

doi:10.1016/j.jare.2024.04.024

Application of atmospheric cold plasma for zearalenone detoxification in cereals: Kinetics, mechanisms, and cytotoxicity analysis

J Adv Res. 2024 Apr 26:S2090-1232(24)00166-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jare.2024.04.024. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Mengjie Liu¹, Junxia Feng², Yongqin Fan¹, Xudong Yang³, Ruike Chen⁴, Cui Xu³, Hangbo Xu¹, Dongjie Cui¹, Ruixue Wang⁵, Zhen Jiao⁶, Ruonan Ma⁷

Affiliations

¹ Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; Henan Key Laboratory of Ion-beam Green Agricultural Bioengineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China; Sanya Institute, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
² Huadu District People's Hospital of Guangzhou, Guangzhou 510800, China.
³ Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; Henan Key Laboratory of Ion-beam Green Agricultural Bioengineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China.
⁴ School of Electrical and Information Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
⁵ College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China.
⁶ Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; Henan Key Laboratory of Ion-beam Green Agricultural Bioengineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China; Sanya Institute, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China. Electronic address: jiaozhen@zzu.edu.cn.
⁷ Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; Henan Key Laboratory of Ion-beam Green Agricultural Bioengineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China; Sanya Institute, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China. Electronic address: maruonan@zzu.edu.cn.

PMID: 38677544
DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2024.04.024

Abstract

Introduction: Zearalenone (ZEN) is one of the most widely contaminated mycotoxins in world, posing a severe threat to human and animal health. Atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) holds great penitential in mycotoxin degradation.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the degradation efficiency and mechanisms of ACP on ZEN as well as the cytotoxicity of ZEN degradation products by ACP. Additionally, this study also investigated the degradation efficiency of ACP on ZEN in cereals and its effect on cereal quality.

Methods: The degradation efficiency and products of ZEN by ACP was analyzed by HPLC and LC-MS/MS. The human normal liver cells and mice were employed to assess the cytotoxicity of ZEN degradation products. The ZEN artificially contaminated cereals were used to evaluate the feasibility of ACP detoxification in cereals.

Results: The results showed that the degradation rate of ZEN was 96.18 % after 30-W ACP treatment for 180 s. The degradation rate was dependent on the discharge power, and treatment time and distance. Four major ZEN degradation products were produced after ACP treatment due to the oxidative destruction of CC double bond, namely C₁₈H₂₂O₇ (m/z = 351.19), C₁₈H₂₂O₈ (m/z = 367.14), C₁₈H₂₂O₆ (m/z = 335.14), and C₁₇H₂₀O₆ (m/z = 321.19). L02 cell viability was increased from 52.4 % to 99.76 % with ACP treatment time ranging from 0 to 180 s. Mice results showed significant recovery of body weight and depth of colonic crypts as well as mitigation of glomerular and liver damage. Additionally, ACP removed up to 50.55 % and 58.07 % of ZEN from wheat and corn.

Conclusions: This study demonstrates that ACP could efficiently degrade ZEN in cereals and its cytotoxicity was significantly reduced. Therefore, ACP is a promising effective method for ZEN detoxification in cereals to ensure human and animal health. Future study needs to develop large-scale ACP device with high degradation efficiency.

Keywords: Atmospheric cold plasma; Cereals quality; Degradation products; Detoxification; Mycotoxins; Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species.