Department of Environmental Science, University of South Africa, Private Bag X6, Florida, 1710, South Africa.
Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa.
Mycotoxin Res. 2020 Aug;36(3):303-309. doi: 10.1007/s12550-020-00393-w. Epub 2020 Apr 8.
Aflatoxins are secondary metabolites produced by specific strains of fungi, especially Aspergillus spp. These natural toxins are mainly found in soil, decaying vegetation and food storage systems and are particularly abundant during drought stress. Aflatoxin contamination is one of the most important threats to food safety and human health due to its toxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic properties. Therefore, most research focuses on post-harvest contamination of aflatoxins in feed and food commodities but very limited information is available about aflatoxin contamination and its toxicological consequences in the soil ecosystem. Current regulations provide minimal options for the disposal of aflatoxin-contaminated crops, amongst which is the incorporation of residues into the soil for natural degradation. This form of mycotoxin loading into the soil could potentially change its physicochemical characteristics and biotic parameters. Recent studies suggest that as climate conditions change, the occurrence and geographical distribution of aflatoxins might increase, posing significant health risks to the soil ecosystem, food crop production and human health. This review will focus on studies that look at the environmental and toxicological consequences of aflatoxin contamination with the aim of clarifying the risk that aflatoxin contamination poses to soil ecosystems. Many aspects of aflatoxin occurrence, degradation and the effects of its transformation products in the soil environment are still unknown and remain an important area of research for soil health and productivity. A climatic approach, in terms of changes in soil moisture and air temperature, is important for future risk assessments of aflatoxin contamination.
黄曲霉毒素是特定真菌菌株（特别是曲霉属真菌）产生的次生代谢物。这些天然毒素主要存在于土壤、腐烂的植被和食物储存系统中，特别是在干旱胁迫期间更为丰富。黄曲霉毒素污染是食品安全和人类健康的最重要威胁之一，因为它具有毒性、致突变性和致癌性。因此，大多数研究都集中在饲料和食品商品收获后黄曲霉毒素的污染上，但关于土壤生态系统中黄曲霉毒素污染及其毒理学后果的信息非常有限。目前的法规为受黄曲霉毒素污染的作物的处理提供了很少的选择，其中之一是将残留物掺入土壤中以进行自然降解。这种形式的霉菌毒素进入土壤可能会改变其物理化学特性和生物参数。最近的研究表明，随着气候条件的变化，黄曲霉毒素的发生和地理分布可能会增加，对土壤生态系统、粮食作物生产和人类健康构成重大健康风险。本综述将重点关注研究黄曲霉毒素污染的环境和毒理学后果，旨在阐明黄曲霉毒素污染对土壤生态系统构成的风险。黄曲霉毒素在土壤中的存在、降解及其转化产物的影响的许多方面仍然未知，仍然是土壤健康和生产力研究的重要领域。从土壤水分和空气温度变化的角度来看，气候方法对于未来的黄曲霉毒素污染风险评估很重要。
