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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, July 2007, p. 4211-4217, Vol. 73, No. 13
0099-2240/07/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.00343-07
Copyright © 2007, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Mass Spectrometry-Based Strategy for Direct Detection and Quantification of Some Mycotoxins Produced by Stachybotrys and Aspergillus spp. in Indoor Environments{triangledown}

Erica Bloom,1 Karol Bal,2 Eva Nyman,3 Aime Must,4 and Lennart Larsson1*

Lund University, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Medical Microbiology, Lund, Sweden,1 Institute of Agricultural and Food Biotechnology, Department of Food Analysis, 36 Rakowiecka St., 02-532 Warsaw, Poland,2 TEKOMO Byggnadskvalitet AB, Hammargatan 11 A, 235 32 Vellinge, Sweden,3 AIMEX AB, Erik Sandbergs Gata 24, 16934 Solna, Sweden4

Received 12 February 2007/ Accepted 1 May 2007

Dampness in buildings has been linked to adverse health effects, but the specific causative agents are unknown. Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by molds and toxic to higher vertebrates. In this study, mass spectrometry was used to demonstrate the presence of mycotoxins predominantly produced by Aspergillus spp. and Stachybotrys spp. in buildings with either ongoing dampness or a history of water damage. Verrucarol and trichodermol, hydrolysis products of macrocyclic trichothecenes (including satratoxins), and trichodermin, predominately produced by Stachybotrys chartarum, were analyzed by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, whereas sterigmatocystin (mainly produced by Aspergillus versicolor), satratoxin G, and satratoxin H were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. These mycotoxin analytes were demonstrated in 45 of 62 building material samples studied, in three of eight settled dust samples, and in five of eight cultures of airborne dust samples. This is the first report on the use of tandem mass spectrometry for demonstrating mycotoxins in dust settled on surfaces above floor level in damp buildings. The direct detection of the highly toxic sterigmatocystin and macrocyclic trichothecene mycotoxins in indoor environments is important due to their potential health impacts.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Dept. of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Medical Microbiology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 23, 223 62 Lund, Sweden. Phone: 46 46 177298. Fax: 46 46 189117. E-mail: Lennart.Larsson{at}med.lu.se

{triangledown} Published ahead of print on 4 May 2007.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, July 2007, p. 4211-4217, Vol. 73, No. 13
0099-2240/07/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.00343-07
Copyright © 2007, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Kankkunen, P., Rintahaka, J., Aalto, A., Leino, M., Majuri, M.-L., Alenius, H., Wolff, H., Matikainen, S. (2009). Trichothecene Mycotoxins Activate Inflammatory Response in Human Macrophages. J. Immunol. 182: 6418-6425 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


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