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Zearalenone (ZEN) and Its Metabolite Levels in Tissues of Wild Boar (Sus scrofa) from Southern Italy: A Pilot Study

Authors :
Consiglia Longobardi
Sara Damiano
Gianmarco Ferrara
Serena Montagnaro
Valentina Meucci
Luigi Intorre
Samanta Bacci
Luigi Esposito
Nadia Piscopo
Antonio Rubino
Antonio Raffaele
Salvatore Florio
Roberto Ciarcia
Source :
Toxins, Vol 15, Iss 1, p 56 (2023)
Publication Year :
2023
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2023.

Abstract

Zearalenone (ZEN) is a non-steroidal estrogenic mycotoxin produced by the fungi of the Fusarium genera, and is a contaminant of cereals and plant products. ZEN and its metabolites are considered endocrine disruptors, and could have various toxic effects on animals and humans. In recent years, there has been a significant demographic increase in wild boar (Sus scrofa) in many mountainous and hilly areas of Italy, including the Campania region, mainly due to global climate change. The wild boar can be defined as a generalist and omnivorous species capable of varying its diet; therefore, it can play a role as an environmental bioindicator towards contaminants such as mycotoxins. This study was conducted to evaluate, for the first time, the concentrations of ZEN and its metabolites in the liver, kidney, and muscle of 82 wild boars shot in their habitat by hunters with hunting permits in different localities of Avellino province (Campania region, Southern Italy) from 2021 to 2022. The samples were collected and analyzed with an SPE clean-up and high-pressure liquid chromatography method with fluorescence detection. The results indicated that ZEN and α-Zearalenol were present in most of the samples, suggesting that a plan to monitor these mycoestrogens is essential to achieve the goals of “One Health”.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
20726651
Volume :
15
Issue :
1
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Toxins
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.528b784360b14f56bb8da0cceec9350e
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins15010056