Frequent occupational exposure to Fusarium mycotoxins of workers in the Swiss grain industry

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State: Public
Version: Final published version
Serval ID
serval:BIB_4EEAB411CCBE
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Frequent occupational exposure to Fusarium mycotoxins of workers in the Swiss grain industry
Journal
Toxins
Author(s)
Niculita-Hirzel Hélène, Hantier Grégoire, Storti Ferdinand, Plateel Gregory, Roger Thierry
ISSN
2072-6651 (Electronic)
ISSN-L
2072-6651
Publication state
Published
Issued date
12/12/2016
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
8
Number
370
Pages
[1-10]
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: Journal Article
Publication Status: epublish
Abstract
Type B trichotecens such as deoxynivalenol (DON), 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol (3-ADON), 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol (15-ADON), nivalenol (NIV) and zearalenone (ZEN) are mycotoxins contaminating wheat and wheat dust. Mycotoxins are toxic upon ingestion and considered potentially toxic when inhaled. Whereas dietary exposure to mycotoxins is controlled in food, data on occupational exposure by inhalation by grain workers are scarce. The objectives of this study were to determine the incidence of DON, 3-ADON, 15-ADON, NIV and ZEN in aerosols generated during grain harvesting and unloading and the risk of exposure of grain workers. Aerosols were collected during the threshing of 78 winter wheat fields and grain unloading of 59 grain lots in six grain terminals in the Vaud region (Switzerland). The samples represented the diversity of the winter wheat cultivar and of the farming system (88 treated with fungicides, 46 untreated). Using a HPLC MS/MS method developed to quantify mycotoxins in aerosols, we report that the mycotoxin content of aerosols was not affected by the wheat cultivars or farming system, but that the incidence of the mycotoxins differed between activities. While wheat harvesting generated on average 28, 20 and 1 ng·m(-3) of DON, NIV and ZEN, respectively, grain unloading generated 53, 46 and 4 ng·m(-3). Personal sampling revealed that working in a cab was an efficient protective measure. However, it was not sufficient to avoid chronic exposure to multiple mycotoxins. The most exposed activity was the cleaning, exposing workers to DON, NIV and ZEN at concentrations as high as 65, 59 and 3 ng·m(-3). These data provide valuable information for future studies of mycotoxin toxicity at relevant concentrations on respiratory health.

Keywords
Mycotoxins, Trichothecenes, Triticum, Dust, Occupational Exposure, Agriculture
Pubmed
Web of science
Open Access
Yes
Create date
29/12/2016 15:20
Last modification date
20/08/2019 15:04
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