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

Background: 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. Methods: 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. Results: 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). Conclusion: 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 .