Comparison of urinary aflatoxin M1 and aflatoxin albumin adducts as biomarkers for assessing aflatoxin exposure in Tanzanian children

Abstract

Purpose: To determine levels of urinary aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in children and correlate the concentrations with previously reported aflatoxin albumin adduct (AF-alb) levels in these children.

Materials and methods: Matched urine and blood samples were collected from 84 Tanzanian children aged 6–14 months old. From 31 children in one village (Kigwa), samples were collected at three time points six months apart. Samples were collected from 31 and 22 children from two different regions at the second time point only. Urinary AFM1 was measured using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit with a modified protocol to improve sensitivity. AF-alb was measured using an established ELISA method.

Results: The relative ranking of the three villages for exposure to aflatoxin based on either AFM₁ or AF-alb biomarker measurements was the same. In Kigwa village, both AFM1 and AF-alb levels were higher at six months post-harvest compared to baseline. However, at the next visit, the AFM1 levels dropped from a GM (interquartile range) of 71.0 (44.7, 112.6) at visit two to 49.3 (31.5, 77.3) pg/ml urine, whereas AF-alb levels increased from 47.3 (29.7, 75.2) to 52.7 (35.4, 78.3) pg/mg albumin between these two visits, reflecting the fact that AFM1 measures short-term exposure, whereas AF-alb measures longer term exposure. There was a correlation between AFB1 intake and AFM1 excretion (r= 0.442, p ≤ 0.001).

Conclusions: Urinary AFM1 is a good biomarker for AFB1 exposure in Tanzanian children, reflecting geographical and temporal variations in exposure to this foodborne toxin.

Keywords:

• Aflatoxins
• aflatoxin albumin adducts
• children
• Tanzania
• urinary AFM1

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to the Management of Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority for facilitating this study and to the subjects and field workers for their profound cooperation throughout the study.

Disclosure statement

This work was supported by the Leverhulme-Royal Society Africa Award. The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Leverhulme-Royal Society Africa Award.