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    Marit Skaug

    Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin frequently found in human blood and milk samples in the colder climatic zones. In addition to dietary intake, exposure may occur by inhalation of toxin containing fungal conidia. The purpose of this work... more
    Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin frequently found in human blood and milk samples in the colder climatic zones. In addition to dietary intake, exposure may occur by inhalation of toxin containing fungal conidia. The purpose of this work was to investigate the level of OTA in blood samples from farm workers and non-farm working controls, and to examine if serum levels of OTA were related to inhalatory exposure to conidia of Penicillium verrucosum, the main OTA producer in temperate climates. Blood samples from 210 participants were analysed for the presence of OTA and IgG antibodies against P. verrucosum conidia. The concentration of OTA was determined by HPLC (DL 10 ng/l), and the IgG level was determined by ELISA. All serum samples contained OTA (mean 397 ng/l, range 21-5534 ng/l). The OTA level in serum was unrelated to farm working, gender, age, and IgG level. The mean IgG level was significantly higher among farm workers than controls. Farm working, or increased inhalatory expo...
    Samples of organic cow's milk, conventional cow's milk, and cow's milk-based infant formulas were analysed for the occurrence of ochratoxin A by means of an HPLC method. The detection limit was 10 ng/l. Ochratoxin... more
    Samples of organic cow's milk, conventional cow's milk, and cow's milk-based infant formulas were analysed for the occurrence of ochratoxin A by means of an HPLC method. The detection limit was 10 ng/l. Ochratoxin A was detected in 6 out of 40 conventional cow's milk samples (range 11-58 ng/l), and in 5 out of 47 organic milk samples (range 15-28 ng/l). No ochratoxin A was detected in any of the 20 infant formula samples. The ochratoxin A levels in cow's milk found in this investigation are sufficient to cause a higher intake of ochratoxin A than the suggested TDI of 5 ng/kg bw/day, e.g. in small children who consume large quantities of milk.
    Samples of organic cow's milk, conventional cow's milk, and cow's milk-based infant formulas were analysed for the occurrence of ochratoxin A by means of an HPLC method. The detection limit was 10 ng/l. Ochratoxin... more
    Samples of organic cow's milk, conventional cow's milk, and cow's milk-based infant formulas were analysed for the occurrence of ochratoxin A by means of an HPLC method. The detection limit was 10 ng/l. Ochratoxin A was detected in 6 out of 40 conventional cow's milk samples (range 11-58 ng/l), and in 5 out of 47 organic milk samples (range 15-28 ng/l). No ochratoxin A was detected in any of the 20 infant formula samples. The ochratoxin A levels in cow's milk found in this investigation are sufficient to cause a higher intake of ochratoxin A than the suggested TDI of 5 ng/kg bw/day, e.g. in small children who consume large quantities of milk.
    Farm workers are often exposed to high concentrations of airborne organic dust and fungal conidia, especially when working with plant materials. The purpose of this investigation was to study the possibility of exposure to the mycotoxin... more
    Farm workers are often exposed to high concentrations of airborne organic dust and fungal conidia, especially when working with plant materials. The purpose of this investigation was to study the possibility of exposure to the mycotoxin ochratoxin A (OTA) through inhalation of organic dust and conidia. Dust and aerosol samples were collected from three local cowsheds. Aerosol samples for determination of total conidia and dust concentrations were collected by stationary sampling on polycarbonate filters. Total dust was analysed by gravimetry, and conidia were counted using scanning electron microscopy. A method was developed for extraction and determination of OTA in small samples of settled dust. OTA was extracted with a mixture of methanol, chloroform, HCl, and water, purified on immunoaffinity column, and analysed by ion-pair HPLC with fluorescence detection. Recovery of OTA from spiked dust samples (0.9-1.0 microg/kg) was 74% (quantitation limit 0.150 microg/kg). OTA was found i...
    The present review provides an update of the general principles for the investigation and use of chelating agents in the treatment of intoxications by metals. The clinical use of the old chelators EDTA (ethylenediamine tetraacetate) and... more
    The present review provides an update of the general principles for the investigation and use of chelating agents in the treatment of intoxications by metals. The clinical use of the old chelators EDTA (ethylenediamine tetraacetate) and BAL (2,3-dimercaptopropanol) is now limited due to the inconvenience of parenteral administration, their own toxicity and tendency to increase the neurotoxicity of several metals. The hydrophilic dithiol chelators DMSA (meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid) and DMPS (2,3-dimercapto-propanesulphonate) are less toxic and more efficient than BAL in the clinical treatment of heavy metal poisoning, and available as capsules for oral use. In copper overload, DMSA appears to be a potent antidote, although d-penicillamine is still widely used. In the chelation of iron, the thiols are inefficient, since iron has higher affinity for ligands with nitrogen and oxygen, but the new oral iron antidotes deferiprone and desferasirox have entered into the clinical arena. ...
    Individual and geographical variations in ochratoxin A (OA) levels in human blood and milk samples may be due to differences in dietary habits. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between OA contamination of human... more
    Individual and geographical variations in ochratoxin A (OA) levels in human blood and milk samples may be due to differences in dietary habits. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between OA contamination of human milk and dietary intake. Human milk samples were collected from 80 Norwegian women. The usual food intake during the last year was recorded using a quantitative food frequency questionnaire. The concentration of OA in the human milk was determined by HPLC (detection limit 10 ng/l). Seventeen (21%) out of 80 human milk samples contained OA in the range 10-182 ng/l. The women with a high dietary intake of liver paste (liverwurst, liver pâté) and cakes (cookies, fruitcakes, chocolate cakes, etc.) were more likely to have OA-contaminated milk. The risk of OA contamination was also increased by the intake of juice (all kinds). In addition, the results indicate that breakfast cereals, processed meat products, and cheese could be important contributors to dietary OA intake. OA contamination of the milk was unrelated to smoking, age, parity, and anthropometric data other than body weight.