Sewram, V.Mshicilelo, N.Shephard, G.S.Marasas, W.F.O2020-09-102020-09-102003SEWRAM V, MSHICILELI N, SHEPHARD GS, MARASAS WFO. Fumonisin mycotoxins in human hair. Biomarkers (London Print)1354-750X.https://infospace.mrc.ac.za/handle/11288/595278This study shows for the first time the accumulation of fumonisin mycotoxins in human hair of population clusters exposed to contaminated maize, and thus the feasibility of human hair analysis for the assessment of past fumonisin exposure. Composite hair samples were obtained from the Bizana, Butterworth and Centane districts within the Transkei region of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Following methanol extraction and strong anion exchange clean up, the fumonisins FB1, FB2 and FB3 were detected using high performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS). Hair from Centane and Butterworth showed mean levels of FB1 of 26.7 and 23.5 μg kg-1 hair, respectively. FB2 was only detected in hair from Centane and in one sampling point in Butterworth, with mean levels of 6.5 and 5.7 μg kg-1 hair, respectively. Hair samples from Bizana, on the other hand, were found to contain higher levels of FB1 (mean 33.0 μg kg-1 hair) and FB2 (mean 11.1 μg kg-1 hair). No samples contained more than trace levels of FB3. Recoveries from spiked hair samples using this method ranged from 81% to 101%, demonstrating the applicability of hair analysis in assessing human exposure to fumonisin mycotoxins..enAttribution 3.0 United Stateshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us/EnvironmentEcologyToxicologyBiological and medical sciencesMedical sciencesToxicologyPlant poisons toxicologyFungiToxinFoodHair (head)FumonisinHumanBiological markerMycotoxinRatebiomarkerchronic exposurehuman hairArticleBiomarkers