Our findings provide evidence for a global stimulating effect on steroid synthesis already at low-dose Cd exposure. These findings might explain the association of Cd with diseases such as steroid-sensitive cancers or metabolic disorders.

The selenium concentration in foods was analysed in order to identify principal sources of this trace element in Switzerland. Selenium intake estimations based on three different approaches were carried out. From the relationship between intake and serum/plasma concentration, the selenium intake was estimated to 66 µg day(-1). The second approach based on measured food groups combined with consumption statistics; and the third approach consisted of duplicate meal samples. With the last two methods, over 75% of the serum/plasma based intake was confirmed. Swiss pasta made of North American durum wheat was the food with the highest contribution to the dietary intake, followed by meat. The strong decrease in imports of selenium-rich North American wheat of the last years was not reflected in the present intake estimations. It appears that this intake loss was compensated by a consumption increase of other foods. Compared with former intake estimations, selenium intake seems to be in Switzerland nearly constant for the last 25 years.

Biomonitoring of mycotoxins and their metabolites in biological fluids is increasingly used to assess human exposure. In this study, biomarkers of ochratoxin A (OTA) and citrinin (CIT) exposure were determined in a large number of serum samples from healthy blood donors in Switzerland. In 2019, 700 samples from different regions were obtained. From 240 donors, a second sample (taken 2–9 months later) was available for analysis. Moreover, 355 blood donor samples from 2005 from all regions in Switzerland and 151 additional samples from the southern Swiss region of Ticino from 2005 could be analysed.OTA, 2′R-ochratoxin A (2′R-OTA), ochratoxin alpha (OTα), CIT and dihydrocitrinone (DH-CIT) were analysed using validated targeted methods including precipitation and online SPE clean-up.OTA and 2′R-OTA were frequently detected (OTA in 99%; 2′R-OTA in 51% of the tested samples). The mean concentration in all positive samples was 0.4 ng/mL for OTA and 0.2 ng/mL for 2′R-OTA. OTα was not detected in any sample above the limit of quantification (LOQ). In contrast to OTA, CIT and DH-CIT were only quantifiable in 2% and 0.1% of the samples, respectively. No significant trend was observed between the samples from 2005 and the more recent samples, but OTA concentrations were usually higher in serum samples from the southern Swiss region of Ticino and in males compared to females.Our extensive data fit well within the framework of previously published values for the healthy adult European population.

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Urinary cadmium (Cd) excretion was measured within a representative Swiss collective. With a median of 0.23 µg/24 h (n = 1409) and the 95th percentile at 0.81 µg/24 h, no increased health risk for the general non-exposed population was identified. The independent variables Age, BMI and Smoking habit had a significant effect on urinary Cd excretion. No association was found with the region of residence and sex. A subsample comparison between 24-h and spot urines of the same subjects (n = 90) did not reveal an evident concentration difference for both creatinine-adjusted sample types. Dependencies on age and gender were observed for creatinine, which consequently impacts on the creatinine normalisation of urine samples.