title: Measurement of macrocyclic trichothecene in floor dust of water-damaged buildings using gas chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry-dust matrix effects.
abstract: Gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) was used to detect fungal secondary metabolites. Detection of verrucarol, the hydrolysis product of Stachybotrys chartarum macrocyclic trichothecene (MCT), was confounded by matrix effects associated with heterogeneous indoor environmental samples. In this study, we examined the role of dust matrix effects associated with GC-MS/MS to better quantify verrucarol in dust as a measure of total MCT. The efficiency of the internal standard (ISTD, 1,12-dodecanediol), and application of a matrix-matched standard correction method in measuring MCT in floor dust of water-damaged buildings was additionally examined. Compared to verrucarol, ISTD had substantially higher matrix effects in the dust extracts. The results of the ISTD evaluation showed that without ISTD adjustment, there was a 280% ion enhancement in the dust extracts compared to neat solvent. The recovery of verrucarol was 94% when the matrix-matched standard curve without the ISTD was used. Using traditional calibration curves with ISTD adjustment, none of the 21 dust samples collected from water damaged buildings were detectable. In contrast, when the matrix-matched calibration curves without ISTD adjustment were used, 38% of samples were detectable. The study results suggest that floor dust of water-damaged buildings may contain MCT. However, the measured levels of MCT in dust using the GC-MS/MS method could be significantly under- or overestimated, depending on the matrix effects, the inappropriate ISTD, or combination of the two. Our study further shows that the routine application of matrix-matched calibration may prove useful in obtaining accurate measurements of MCT in dust derived from damp indoor environments, while no isotopically labeled verrucarol is available.
authors: a Respiratory Health Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health , Morgantown , West Virginia.|b Occupational Health Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler , Tyler , Texas.
authors: Rena
authors: R
authors: Saito
authors: a Respiratory Health Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health , Morgantown , West Virginia.
authors: Ju-Hyeong
authors: JH
authors: Park
authors: a Respiratory Health Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health , Morgantown , West Virginia.
authors: Ryan
authors: R
authors: LeBouf
authors: a Respiratory Health Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health , Morgantown , West Virginia.
authors: Brett J
authors: BJ
authors: Green
authors: a Respiratory Health Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health , Morgantown , West Virginia.
authors: Yeonmi
authors: Y
authors: Park
mesh_terms: D000391:Air Microbiology; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis*; D003252:Construction Materials / Q000032:analysis*; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D009183:Mycotoxins / Q000032:analysis*; D011109:Polymethacrylic Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D013191:Stachybotrys / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014255:Trichothecenes / Q000032:analysis*; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D004391:Dust; D009183:Mycotoxins; D011109:Polymethacrylic Acids; D014255:Trichothecenes
keywords: Dust; macrocyclic trichothecenes; matrix effect; mycotoxins; verrucarol; water-damaged buildings