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Fast and sensitive LC–MS/MS method measuring human mycotoxin exposure using biomarkers in urine

  • Analytical Toxicology
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Abstract

A direct, fast and sensitive LC–MS/MS method was developed to measure biomarkers for mycotoxin exposure in human urine. In total, 32 biomarkers were quantitatively or semi-quantitatively measured in 32 urine samples of Belgian volunteers using two injections. All urine samples contained deoxynivalenol-15-glucuronide, the major detoxification metabolite of deoxynivalenol, in the ng/mL range. Also deoxynivalenol-3-glucuronide and de-epoxy-deoxynivalenol-glucuronide were present in, respectively, 90 and 25 % of the samples, while deoxynivalenol was detected in 60 % of the samples, in lower concentrations. Deoxynivalenol glucuronides were the major biomarkers for deoxynivalenol exposure. Ochratoxin A was detected in 70 % of the samples in pg/mL. Citrinin and/or dihydrocitrinone were detected in 90 % of the samples, also in concentrations of pg/mL. The presence of ochratoxin A and citrinin was confirmed by a second method using sample cleanup by immunoaffinity columns, followed by LC–MS/MS. Our data show that humans are much more exposed to citrinin than realized before and suggest further work on citrinin exposure in relation with ochratoxin A exposure, as both mycotoxins are nephrotoxic.

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Acknowledgments

The 700-MHZ equipment was funded through the FFEU-ZWAP initiative of the Flemish Government. We thank Dr A Versilovskis for the synthesis of DON-3-GlcA. A. C. thanks the Federal Public Service Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment for financial support (Project RT 11/2).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unit Toxins and Natural Components, Veterinary and Agrochemical Research Centre (CODA-CERVA), Leuvensesteenweg 17, 3080, Tervuren, Belgium

    B. Huybrechts, Ph. Debongnie & A. Callebaut

  2. Department of Organic Chemistry, Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281, S4, 9000, Ghent, Belgium

    J. C. Martins

  3. Section for Chemistry and Toxicology, Norwegian Veterinary Institute, P.O. Box 750, Sentrum, 0106, Oslo, Norway

    S. Uhlig

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  1. B. Huybrechts
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  2. J. C. Martins
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  4. S. Uhlig
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  5. A. Callebaut
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Correspondence to A. Callebaut.

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Huybrechts, B., Martins, J.C., Debongnie, P. et al. Fast and sensitive LC–MS/MS method measuring human mycotoxin exposure using biomarkers in urine. Arch Toxicol 89, 1993–2005 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00204-014-1358-8

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