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

AbstractPurpose: 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 dropp...