Photocatalytic Degradation of Aflatoxin B1 and Zearalenone in Cereals: Kinetics, Photoproducts, Mechanisms, and Aquatic Toxicity

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and zearalenone (ZEN) are the most toxic and widely polluted mycotoxins in cereals. Efficient and environmentally friendly technology to eliminate AFB1 and ZEN is important for food safety. In this work, a novel 2-AP-grafted ultrathin porous photocatalyst (denoted as WCN-AP7) was synthesized, characterized, and used for the visible-light-driven photocatalytic degradation of AFB1 and ZEN in cereals. The photocatalytic degradation of mycotoxins by WCN-AP7 nanomaterials in real-world samples demonstrated high efficiency, achieving complete degradation of AFB1 (100%) and near-complete removal of ZEN (89.5%) within 60 min. Furthermore, photodegradation products of AFB1 and ZEN were identified by HPLC-MS/MS, and the main reaction active sites and degradation mechanism were clarified based on radical trapping measurements and density functional theory calculations. The ecotoxicity of the degradation products was predicted, showing the detoxification of AFB1 and ZEN after photodegradation. This work provided a promising visible-light WCN-AP7 nanomaterial for the practical treatment of mycotoxin detoxification in cereals.