Authors: Halstensen, Anne Straumfors¹; Nordby, Karl-Christian²; Kristensen, Petter²; Eduard, Wijnand¹

Source: Stewart Postharvest Review, Volume 4, Number 6, December 2008 , pp. 1-9(9)

Publisher: Stewart Postharvest Solutions

Abstract:

Purpose of review: Occupational exposure to airborne mycotoxins has been the subject of increasing interest in the last few years. In order to make a risk assessment of such exposure, mycotoxin concentration in dust, exposure intensity and the resulting health effects must be known. This review gives an overview of mycotoxins detected in settled and airborne grain dust, the possible health implications of mycotoxin inhalation and preventive strategies against airborne exposure.

Findings: Twenty different mycotoxins have been detected in settled and airborne grain dust. The levels vary widely, and the exposure intensity is dependent on the mycotoxin concentration of the dust as well as the amount of dust generated during work. Reduction of airborne dust will therefore also reduce mycotoxin exposure, and several interventions against dust generation may serve this purpose. Animal experiments have shown that inhalational mycotoxin exposure may be more toxic than exposure through the alimentary route and epidemiological studies have linked mycotoxin inhalation to adverse human health effects. However, before we can decide whether adverse levels can be reached under different scenarios of human inhalational exposure, measurement methods need to be developed for airborne mycotoxins in personal samples, and the intensity and duration of exposure to specific mycotoxins that is necessary to cause human health effects must be determined.

Implications: Despite limited evidence, the information in the literature suggests that adverse health effects may possibly result from inhalational exposure to mycotoxins alone or in combination with alimentary exposure.

Directions for future research: Further research is required to evaluate health hazards from respiratory mycotoxin exposures. This should include short- and long-term dose-response studies of single and multiple mycotoxins, epidemiological studies and development of measurement methods for airborne mycotoxins, all of which may lead to the identification of safe levels for mycotoxin inhalation.

Keywords: AIRBORNE; EXPOSURE; MYCOTOXINS; OCCUPATIONAL; GRAIN WORK; GRAIN DUST

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2212/spr.2008.6.6

Affiliations: 1: Department of Chemical and Biological Work Environment, National Institute of Occupational Health, Norway 2: Department of Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology, National Institute of Occupational Health, Norway

Publication date: 2008-12-01

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