Evaluation of the sorption activity of natural raw materials of the Republic of Uzbekistan

According to public reports from Cargill (2025), more than 50% of feed sold in Europe and Central Asia contains high levels of mycotoxins. Therefore, as part of a scientific screening study, we conducted trials to evaluate the sorption activity of several sorbents from various deposits in the Republic of Uzbekistan to identify those most active against the most commonly encountered mycotoxins. The raw materials were obtained in the Karmana district of the Navoi region of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Mycotoxin content was determined by ELISA using Agra Quant kits. Working solutions of mycotoxins were prepared by dissolving dry crystalline mycotoxin standards from Sigma and Biopur. The main parameters evaluated were sorption, adsorption, and desorption. In our own studies, we used bentonite, opoka-like (kaolin) clay, and a mixture of the two. The sorption capacity of the studied substances was assessed based on adsorption, desorption, and practical efficiency, using mycotoxins (aflatoxins, DON, fumonisin, zearalenone, and ochratoxins, T-2) as test compounds, which are most commonly found in the Republic of Uzbekistan. Experiments were conducted at different pH values, simulating changes in the acidity of the environment in the animal digestive tract. Based on the conducted studies assessing the sorption activity of promising substances from natural raw materials in the Republic of Uzbekistan, we concluded that bentonite is the most suitable sorbent for this region, as it exhibits minimal desorption for most toxic substances.