Aflatoxin Metabolites in the Urine of Nigerians Comparison of Chromatographic Methods

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Abstract
Some of the animal metabolites of the aflatoxins have not been detected in humans. To understand the occurrence of these metabolites in societies with high liver cancer incidence, urine samples were collected from 161 Nigerians residing at Lagos, Nigeria. The samples were screened for the natural aflatoxins B1 and G1 and the mixed function oxidase and cytosol-chloroform soluble metabolites of B1: Q1, B2a, M1 and L. Both natural aflatoxins, B1 and G1, and three of the metabolites, L, B2a and M1 were found in the urine samples. All of the aflatoxins observed were detected by HPLC. Levels were below the detection limits of the HPTLC method. The aflatoxin in greatest percentage was B2a at 32.7%. Aflatoxin B1 occurred in 3.1% of the urine samples. Aflatoxin M1 occurred at 8.7%, G1 at 9.9%, and L at 9.3%. The highest average concentration among aflatoxins was aflatoxin G1 at approximately 12 ng/100 ml urine. The order in concentration was G1B1M1B2aL. Clinicians and others desiring to establish relationships between aflatoxins and disease could miss important information without low-level multi-aflatoxin methods of analysis.