Exposure assessment approach through mycotoxin/creatinine ratio evaluation in urine by GC–MS/MS

• A novel multi-analyte method was used for mycotoxin determination in urine.
• 3 out of 15 mycotoxins were quantified in the 54 urine samples analyzed.
• DON was detected in 68.5% samples in a range of: 2.8–69.1 μg/g creatinine.
• 8.1% subjects exceeded the DON provisional maximum tolerable daily intake.

In this pilot survey human urine samples were analyzed for presence of 15 mycotoxins and some of their metabolites using a novel urinary multi-mycotoxin GC–MS/MS method following salting-out liquid–liquid extraction. Fifty-four urine samples from children and adults residents in Valencia were analyzed for presence of urinary mycotoxin and expressed in gram of creatinine. Three out of 15 mycotoxins were detected namely, HT-2 toxin, nivalenol and deoxynivalenol (DON). 37 samples showed quantifiable values of mycotoxins. Co-occurrence of these contaminants was also observed in 20.4% of assayed samples. DON was the most frequently detected mycotoxin (68.5%) with mean levels of 23.3 μg/g creatinine (range: 2.8–69.1 μg/g creatinine). The levels of urinary DON were used to carry out an exposure assessment approach. 8.1% of total subjects were estimated to exceed the DON provisional maximum tolerable daily intake (PMTDI) (1 μg/kg b.w.). Two out of 9 exposed children exceeded the DON PMTDI thus, making them the most exposed based on the urinary results.

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