Unraveling the occupational exposure to mycotoxins in a waste management setting: results from a case study in Norway.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Waste management represents an occupational setting where fungi are significant contaminants. This study aimed to assess the exposure of waste workers to mycotoxins through a human biomonitoring study.

Methods

A total of 33 workers and 19 controls provided spot urine samples to determine 10 mycotoxins' urinary biomarkers using liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Risk characterization was performed using hazard quotient and margin of exposure assessments.

Results

The results indicated that workers were exposed to six out of the 10 mycotoxins tested, with the following detection rates: deoxynivalenol (91%, 30/33), ochratoxin A (33%, 11/33), zearalenone (17%, 5/33), α-zearalenol (12%, 4/33), β-zearalenol (12%, 4/33), and HT-2 toxin (3%, 1/3

SUBMITTER: Martins C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11865241 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature