Airborne mycotoxins in dust from grain elevators

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Occupational Health
• Toxicology

Background:

• Grain elevator workers face potential exposure to mycotoxins via grain dust.
• Mycotoxins like ochratoxin A (OTA), deoxynivalenol (DON), and zearalenone (ZEA) are common contaminants in grains.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the mycotoxin burden in German grain elevators.
• To evaluate the cytotoxicity of grain dust samples.
• To estimate airborne mycotoxin concentrations and their occupational health relevance.

Main Methods:

• Collected 35 settled dust samples from 13 German grain elevators.
• Analyzed dust for OTA, DON, and ZEA using specific detection limits.
• Assessed sample cytotoxicity using a MTT bioassay with swine kidney cells.
• Determined airborne dust concentrations.

Main Results:

• Nearly all samples contained OTA (96%), DON (100%), and ZEA (100%) with median concentrations of 0.4, 416, and 126 ng/g, respectively.
• 86% of samples exhibited cytotoxic effects, but not correlated with mycotoxin levels, suggesting unknown toxins.
• Estimated average airborne concentrations: OTA (0.002 ng/m³), DON (2 ng/m³), ZEA (1 ng/m³).

Conclusions:

• Inhalatory intake of mycotoxins in grain elevators is likely below tolerable daily intake levels.
• The presence of unidentified cytotoxic compounds in grain dust requires further investigation.
• Development of assessment criteria for airborne mycotoxin exposure is crucial for occupational health.