Determination of Urinary Biomarkers for Assessment of Short-Term Human Exposure to Aflatoxins in São Paulo, Brazil

Toxins

Alessandra V. Jager²  Fernando G. Tonin¹  Pollyana C. M. C. Souto²  Rafaela T. Privatti² 

[1] Department of Biosystems Engineering, School of Animal Science and Food Engineering, University of São Paulo, Pirassununga, SP 13635-900, Brazil; E-Mail:;Department of Food Engineering, School of Animal Science and Food Engineering, University of São Paulo, Pirassununga, SP 13635-900, Brazil; E-Mails:

关键词: AFM₁;    AFB₁;    exposure assessment;    mass spectrometry;   

DOI  :  10.3390/toxins6071996

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

In the present study, a longitudinal assessment was carried out to evaluate the short-term human exposure to aflatoxins in Pirassununga region, São Paulo, Brazil, by determination of urinary aflatoxins by a liquid chromatography coupled to mass sprectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method. Sixteen volunteers with ages ranging from 14 to 55 years old were instructed to collect the early morning first urine four times every three months, from June 2011 to March 2012, totaling 64 samples. Aflatoxin M₁ (AFM₁) was found in 39 samples (61%) at levels ranging from 0.19 to 12.7 pg·mg⁻¹ creatinine (mean: 1.2 ± 2.0 pg·mg⁻¹ creatinine). Residues of aflatoxins B₁, B₂, G₁, G₂ and aflatoxicol were not identified in any urine sample. No significant difference was found among the AFM₁ mean levels in urine samples collected in the four sampling periods. The levels of AFM₁ found in urine samples indicate a low short-term exposure of the population studied to aflatoxins through the diet, although further investigations are needed to assess other long-term biomarkers of exposure to AFB₁.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2014 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.