Optimization and validation of a LC-HRMS method for aflatoxins determination in urine samples

Abstract

Mycotoxins exposure by inhalation and/or dermal contact can occur in different branches of industry especially where heavily dusty settings are present and the handling of dusty commodities is performed. This study aims to explore the possible contribution of the occupational exposure to aflatoxins by analysing urine samples for the presence of aflatoxins B1 and M1 and aflatoxin B1-N7-Guanine adduct. The study was conducted in 2017 on two groups of volunteers, the workers group, composed by personnel employed in an Italian feed plant (n=32), and a control group (n=29), composed by the administrative employees of the same feed plant; a total of 120 urine samples were collected and analysed. A screening method and a quantitative method with high resolution mass spectrometry determination were developed and fully validated. Limit of detections were 0.8 and 1.5 pg/mLurine for aflatoxin B1 and M1, respectively. No quantitative determination was possible for the adduct aflatoxin B1-N7-Guanine. Aflatoxin B1 and its adduct were not detected in the analysed samples, aflatoxin M1, instead, was found in 14 samples (12%) within the range 1.9-10.5 pg/mLurine. Only one sample showed a value above the limit of quantification (10.5 pg/mLurine). The absence of a statistical difference between the mean values for workers and the control group were compared suggests that in this specific setting, no professional exposure occurs. Furthermore, considering the very low level of aflatoxin Powered by Editorial Manager® and ProduXion Manager® from Aries Systems Corporation Click here to access/download;Authorship change form;12550_MYRE_Authorship_and_Disclosure_Form_DeSant Optimization and validation of a LC-HRMS method for aflatoxins

Urinary Biomarkers of Mycotoxin Induced Nephrotoxicity—Current Status and Expected Future Trends

“…Mycotoxins represent one of the major environmental toxicants threatening human health today. Exposure can be via food consumption, inhalation, dermal contact or through occupational exposure [6,14,15]. The most prevalent toxins in the food chain are: aflatoxins (AFs), ochratoxin A (OTA), patulin (PAT), fumonisins, citrinin (CIT), ergot alkaloids, trichothecenes like deoxynivalenol (DON), T-2 toxin (T-2) and zearalenone (ZEN) [16].…”

“…Because of the growing concern about mycotoxin-associated health problems including kidney injury, a search for suitable markers to quantify mycotoxin toxicity is urgently required. The most predominant exposure is to OTA and CIT, current methods for detecting exposure include just the determination of urinary levels of mycotoxins and/or their excreted forms [6,[17][18][19]. As mycotoxins are naturally occurring secondary metabolites are often consumed by people, the exact nephrotoxic mechanisms should be clarified as well.…”

“…To estimate the renal damages caused by nephrotoxic mycotoxins, a wide array of urinary biomarkers should be tested (Figure 1). In mycotoxin research field "biomarker" refers to the direct measurement of the excreted mycotoxin or a breakdown product [6]. This provides information on the degree of exposure, but no information on the adverse cellular or organ effects.…”

“…Furth idence on the versatile nephrotoxic effects of various fun us that we still have a long way to go in the developmen diagnostic and therapeutic approaches with which to sc these compounds [1,5]. To estimate the renal damages ca a wide array of urinary biomarkers should be tested ( field "biomarker" refers to the direct measurement of th down product [6]. This provides information on the d mation on the adverse cellular or organ effects.…”

Occupational Exposure to Mycotoxins—Different Sampling Strategies Telling a Common Story Regarding Occupational Studies Performed in Portugal (2012–2020)

“…Human biomonitoring (HBM) is an important tool for assessing directly the exposure to mycotoxins and it is being more commonly used in the recent years to assess exposure of general population [25,[57][58][59] and workers [60][61][62]. However, it is important to note that data on background dietary exposure to mycotoxins is needed to determine the additional burden of respiratory and dermal exposure in the workplace [63] since we are dealing with an important food contaminant.…”