Original scientific paper

Ochratoxin A in Blood of Healthy Population in Zagreb

Ana-Marija Domijan
Maja Peraica
Radovan Fuchs
Ana Lucić
Božica Radić
Melita Balija
Ivanka Bosanac
Damir Grčević

Abstract

Healthy blood donors from the city of Zagreb were checked for the presence of a nephrotoxic mycotoxin ochratoxin A (OTA) in the plasma. Samples of blood were collected in June, September, and December 1997, and March 1998, totalling 200 or 50 in each round. The concentrations of OTA were measured using high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) method (detection limit 0.2 ng OTA/ml of plasma). The frequency of OTA-positive samples (>0.2 ng/ml of plasma) showed significant seasonal variation (P<0.001). The frequency of OTA-positive samples was the highest in March (65%) and it gradually decreased towards December (12%). The high frequency of positive samples coincided with seasons favouring growth of moulds and production of toxins. The daily intake of OTA by healthy persons in Zagreb was estimated from the mean concentration of OTA in samples collected during the whole year (0.19 ng OTA/ml plasma). The estimated daily intake was 0.26 ng/kg b.w., that is, substantially below the tolerable daily intake proposed by World Health Organization (16.0 ng/kg b.w.).

Keywords

blood; blood donors; endemic nephropathy; healthy population; HPLC analysis; mycotoxins; ocratoxin A; Zagreb

Hrčak ID:

2690

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/2690

Publication date:

14.9.1999.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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