Assessing Human Exposure to Pesticides and Mycotoxins: Optimization and Validation of a Method for Multianalyte Determination in Urine Samples

Overview

Journal Anal Bioanal Chem

Specialty Chemistry

Date 2024 Feb 6

PMID 38321180

Authors

Jesus Marin-Saez

Maykel Hernandez-Mesa

Jose A Gallardo-Ramos

Laura Gamiz-Gracia

Ana M Garcia-Campana

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Humans are exposed to an increasing number of contaminants, with diet being one of the most important exposure routes. In this framework, human biomonitoring is considered the gold standard for evaluating human exposure to chemicals. Pesticides and mycotoxins are chemicals of special concern due to their health implications. They constitute the predominant border rejection notifications for food and feed in Europe and the USA. However, current biomonitoring studies are focused on a limited number of compounds and do not evaluate mycotoxins and pesticides together. In this study, an analytical method has been developed for the determination of 30 pesticides and 23 mycotoxins of concern in urine samples. A salting-out liquid-liquid extraction (SALLE) procedure was optimized achieving recoveries between 70 and 120% for almost all the compounds and limits as lower as when QuEChERS was applied. The compounds were then determined by liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. Different chromatographic conditions and analytical columns were tested, selecting a Hypersild gold aQ column as the best option. Finally, the method was applied to the analysis of 45 urine samples, in which organophosphate and pyrethroid pesticides (detection rates (DR) of 82% and 42%, respectively) and ochratoxin A and deoxynivalenol (DR of 51% and 33%, respectively) were the most detected compounds. The proposed analytical method involves the simultaneous determination of a diverse set of pesticides and mycotoxins, including their most relevant metabolites, in human urine. It serves as an essential tool for biomonitoring the presence of highly prevalent contaminants in modern society.

Citing Articles

Assessment of Mycotoxin Exposure and Associated Risk in Pregnant Dutch Women: The Human Biomonitoring Approach.

McKeon H, Schepens M, van den Brand A, de Jong M, van Gelder M, Hesselink M Toxins (Basel). 2024; 16(6).

PMID: 38922172 PMC: 11209130. DOI: 10.3390/toxins16060278.

Human Biomonitoring Guidance Values for Deoxynivalenol Derived under the European Human Biomonitoring Initiative (HBM4EU).

Mengelers M, van den Brand A, Zhao S, Hoogenveen R, Ougier E Toxins (Basel). 2024; 16(3).

PMID: 38535805 PMC: 10974832. DOI: 10.3390/toxins16030139.

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