4.5.2. Mass Spectroscopy Conditions

To achieve a mass spectrum of the mycotoxins, a Triple Quad 5500 ABSciex mass spectrometer (AB SCIEX instruments, Foster, CA, USA) with a positive ESI interface is used. Mass spectrometer operating parameters are summarized as follows: curtain gas: 20 psig, ion spray voltage, 4500; temperature, 400 ◦C; ion source gas 1, 20; ion source gas 2, 30; collision gas, 8; MRM detection window, 60 sec and target scan time, 1. The mass spectrometer operates in scheduled MRM (Multiple Reaction Monitoring) mode described in Table 3, by monitoring 2 transitions and selecting the optimum voltage of declustering potential, collision energies and collision cell exit potentials for each compound. Sciex Analyst software 1.7 (AB SCIEX instruments, Foster, CA, USA) and Multiquant software 3.0 (AB SCIEX instruments, Foster, CA, USA) were applied for data acquisition and data processing respectively.


**Table 3.** MRM parameters for mycotoxin detection.


**Table 3.** *Cont.*

Q1: first quadrupole; Q3: third quadrupole; DP: declustering potential; CE: collision energy; CXP: collision cell exit potential.
