Occurrence of Zearalenone on Fusarium graminearum Infected Wheat and Maize Fields in Crop Organs, Soil, and Drainage Water

Abstract

The mycotoxin zearalenone (ZON) is a very potent natural endocrine disrupting chemical, produced by Fusarium graminearum fungi growing on crops such as wheat and maize. Although it is well-investigated in food and feed, very little is known about its environmental fate and behavior. Here, we report the occurrence of ZON on F. graminearum infected wheat and maize fields in crop organs and soil and its emission via drainage water. ZON amounts in the investigated crops and topsoil were between 6.1 and 25.0 and up to 5.6 g/ha, respectively. ZON concentrations in drainage water were in the low nanogram per liter range with a maximum of 35 ng/ L. Cumulated ZON amounts emitted via drainage water ranged from 0.1 to 4.3 mg/ha, depending on the crop cultivated in the respective period. This corresponds to fractions between 0.001 and 0.070% of the initially present ZON amount in the plants. Because of the low concentrations emitted via drainage water, it can be assumed that ZON contributes little if at all to the overall estrogenicity of major surface water bodies. However, in small creeks, mainly fed by agricultural runoff, ZON might be present in environmentally critical concentrations at times of F. graminearum infections.

Possible way of zearalenone migration in the agricultural environment

“…However, our results show that under favourable weather conditions the ZEA concentration could increase up to 45 ng/L in the natural environment without artificial inoculation. Similar results were described by Hartmann et al (2008a), where ZEA concentration in puddle water from a field heavily infected with F. graminearum reached 250 ng/L. Therefore, despite low levels of ZEA in surface water, ZEA might contribute substantially to the total estrogenicity of water in case of F. graminearum occurrence (Hartmann et al 2008a).…”

“…According to the authors, because of the continuous ZEA elution from either F. graminearum infected maize or wheat plants on the soil surface, no clear concentration trend in the topsoil could be observed. A comparison of the results recorded in Poland and Switzerland shows that in spite of inoculation reported by Hartmann et al (2008a) as well as significantly higher content of toxins in plants ZEA concentration in soil and water was present at similar levels. The results indicate that toxin adsorption occurs in trace amounts; therefore we have to consider the possibility of toxin degradation by microorganisms such as Trichoderma and Clonostachys (Popiel et al 2008 as well as the possibility of ZEA migration into the deeper soil layers.…”

“…A number of research groups have examined ZEA levels in surface waters such as rivers, streams and lakes, but the ZEA content in drainage ditches was studied only in Switzerland (Bucheli et al 2008, Hartmann et al 2008a and in Poland (Dudziak 2011). According to the authors, ZEA concentration in the drainage water from cereals (fields) inoculated with Fusarium graminearum were in the low nanogram level, with the highest being 35 ng/L (Bucheli et al 2008, Hartmann et al 2008.…”

“…The toxin content in soil was also studied by Hartmann et al (2008a). ZEA level in the topsoil varied between non-detectable and 3.8 ng/g after cereal inoculation with F. graminearum.…”

Zearalenone Contamination of the Aquatic Environment as a Result of its Presence in Crops / Pojava Mikotoksina U Vodenom Okolišu Zbog Njihove Prisutnosti U Usjevima

“…ZEA pollution of the aquatic ecosystems has repeatedly been repeatedly confi rmed during the past decade (9,14,16,(27)(28)(29)(30)(31). However, no information is available on the pathways of toxin transport to surface waters.…”