title: Concentration levels of zearalenone and its metabolites in urine, muscle tissue, and liver samples of pigs fed with mycotoxin-contaminated oats.
abstract: The content of zearalenone and its metabolites in urine and tissue samples from pigs fed zearalenone-contaminated oats was established by analytical methods combining solid-phase extraction cleanup of the samples with highly selective liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)/MS detection. Investigation of the urine samples revealed that approximately 60% of zearalenone was transformed in vivo to alpha-zearalenol and its epimer beta-zearalenol in a mean ratio of 3:1. Zeranol and taleranol as further metabolites could only be detected in trace amounts. Zearalanone was identified at considerable concentrations, though only in a couple of samples. In contrast, liver samples contained predominantly alpha-zearalenol, and to a minor extent beta-zearalenol and zearalenone, with a mean ratio of alpha-/beta-zearalenol of 2.5:1, while zeranol, taleranol, or zearalanone could not be identified in any of the investigated samples. The degree of glucoronidation was established for zearalenone as 27% in urine and 62% in liver; for alpha-zearalenol as 88% in urine and 77% in liver; and for beta-zearalenol as 94% in urine and 29% in liver. Analyses of muscle tissue revealed relatively high amounts of nonglucuronidated zeranol and alpha-zearalenol together with traces of taleranol and zearalenone, indicating that the metabolism of zearalenone and its metabolites is not restricted to hepatic and gastrointestinal metabolic pathways.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Analytical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Währinger Strasse 38, A-1090 Vienna, Austria. pezo@olivin.anc.univie.ac.at
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zöllner
authors.forename: Justus
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jodlbauer
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kleinova
authors.forename: Hermann
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kahlbacher
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kuhn
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hochsteiner
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lindner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018554:Avena; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D005506:Food Contamination; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry*; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000737:chemistry*; D009183:Mycotoxins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D013552:Swine; D015025:Zearalenone / Q000032:analysis* / Q000652:urine; D015029:Zeranol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D009183:Mycotoxins; C029659:zearalenol; D015025:Zearalenone; D015029:Zeranol