Sensitive　and　specific　analysis　of　zearalenone　(ZEN)　mycotoxin　in　cereals　for　ensuring　food　safety　is　critical　and　remains　challenging.　Herein,　a　new　gold　nanoparticles　@aptamer-functionalized　hybrid　affinity　monolithic　column　was　proposed　and　employed　for　online　specific　recognition　of　ZEN　by　HPLC.　Characterization　on　the　morphology,　Brunauer-Emmett-Teller　(BET)　surface　area　mechanical　stability　and　specific　performance　of　the　obtained　affinity　monolith　were　investigated.　A　super-high　aptamer　coverage　density　could　reach　3636　pmol/mu　L,　which　is　preferable　to　gain　an　effective　analysis　of　ZEN　with　high　specificity　and　a　low　interference　of　co-existed　substances　including　typical　alpha-Zearalenol　(alpha-ZOL)　and　Aflatoxin　B-1　(AFB(1)).　The　sensitive　recognition　of　trace　ZEN　was　obtained　with　the　limit　of　detection　(LOD)　as　low　as　0.05　ng/mL.　Applied　to　real　cereal　samples,　satisfactory　recoveries　were　obtained　in　the　range　of　91.6　+/-　1.4%-97.8　+/-　2.6%　(n　=　3)　in　corn,　93.8　+/-　3.1%-95.0　+/-　3.6%　(n　=　3)　in　wheat,　and　90.9　+/-　4.7%-94.7　+/-　3.8%　(n　=　3)　in　rice,　respectively.　The　results　on　quantitative　analysis　were　similar　to　that　of　LC-MS　and　better　than　that　obtained　by　using　immunoaffinity　column　(IAC)　or　molecularly　imprinted　polymer　(MIP).　This　protocol　provided　an　efficient　access　to　high-efficient　online　specific　recognition　of　ZEN　in　cereals　by　using　such　an　aptamer-affinity　capillary　monolithic　column.　(C)　2020　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.