The occurrence of ochratoxin A in dust collected from a problem household.
Accumulated dust samples were collected from the heating ducts in a household where signs resembling ochratoxin poisoning in animals occurred. Several Penicillium spp. and Aspergillus ochraceous had been identified previously from air samples taken from this house. A composite sample from six collected samples was examined by HPLC, and it was determined that 58 ppb of ochratoxin A was present in this sample. A second set of six samples was collected and determinations were made by HPLC of the ochratoxin content in each sample. All samples, including one sample of dirt from a crawl space, yielded at least a trace of ochratoxin A; however, one sample of dust collected from the heating ducts yielded over 1500 ppb of ochratoxin A, and another sample of dust from a different heating duct yielded 306 ppb of ochratoxin A. Ochratoxin A was confirmed in all samples by LC-MS, and ochratoxin was evident in the samples by TLC analysis. This is believed to be the first report of finding ochratoxin in house dust.
Richard
J L
JL
Romer Labs, Inc., Union, MO 63084-1156, USA. jrichard@romerlabs.com
Plattner
R D
RD
May
J
J
Liska
S L
SL
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000032:analysis*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis*; D006361:Heating; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D009793:Ochratoxins / Q000032:analysis*
D000393:Air Pollutants; D002273:Carcinogens; D004391:Dust; D009793:Ochratoxins; C025589:ochratoxin A