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The occurrence of ochratoxin A in dust collected from a problem household

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Abstract

Accumulated dust samples were collected from the heating ducts in a household where signs resembling ochratoxin poisoning in animals occurred. Several Penicillium spp. and Aspergillus ochraceous had been identified previously from air samples taken from this house. A composite sample from six collected samples was examined by HPLC, and it was determined that 58 ppb of ochratoxin A was present in this sample. A second set of six samples was collected and determinations were made by HPLC of the ochratoxin content in each sample. All samples, including one sample of dirt from a crawl space, yielded at least a trace of ochratoxin A; however, one sample of dust collected from the heating ducts yielded over 1500 ppb of ochratoxin A, and another sample of dust from a different heating duct yielded 306 ppb of ochratoxin A. Ochratoxin A was confirmed in all samples by LC-MS, and ochratoxin was evident in the samples by TLC analysis. This is believed to be the first report of finding ochratoxin inhouse dust.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. RomerTM Labs, Inc., Union, MO, 63084-1156, USA

    John L. Richard

  2. National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, Peoria, IL, 61604, USA

    Ronald D. Plattner

  3. May Home Inspections, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA

    Jeff May

  4. Harwich Port, MA, 02646, USA

    Sandra L. Liska

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  1. John L. Richard
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  2. Ronald D. Plattner
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  3. Jeff May
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  4. Sandra L. Liska
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Richard, J.L., Plattner, R.D., May, J. et al. The occurrence of ochratoxin A in dust collected from a problem household. Mycopathologia 146, 99–103 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007056627296

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