Assessment of aflatoxin exposure using urine biomarker in pregnant and non-pregnant women in Yazd, Center of Iran

Aflatoxins (AFs) are one of the most prevalent toxins, which long-term exposure to them could be a risk factor for liver cancer. AFM1 is the hydroxylated metabolite of AFB1, therefore, the presence of AFM1 in urine samples can give an appropriate estimation of dietary AF exposure in human.

The present study aimed to evaluate the excretion level of AFM1 in urine samples of pregnant and non-pregnant women in Yazd, Iran. A total of 85 urine samples (42 pregnant and 43 non-pregnant) were selected randomly from women who had referred to health centers of Yazd during March to May 2017. From each participant, a 72-hour dietary recall was asked and the data were recorded and later analyzed by ELISA kits.

The results showed that the mean level of AFM1 in pregnant and non-pregnant women was 8.23 ± 2.9 and 35.5 ± 1.05 pg mL-1, respectively. Excretion of AFM1 in urine samples had a significant relationship with some demographic factors and type of consumed foods (P < 0.05).

There was a significant relationship between the education level, place of residence, and the consumption of nuts with the excretion of AFM1. It can be concluded that some foods distributed in Yazd are contaminated with AFs, and a significant number of people are exposed to high concentrations of AFM1.