ABSTRACT

Aflatoxin M1 is a biomarker of aflatoxin B1 which is detected in breast milk, a possible

risk factor for infant early exposure to Aflatoxin. Aflatoxin M1(AFM1) is a measure of

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) exposure among lactating mothers.Qualitative and quantitative

analyses of breast milk samples were carried out by High Performance Liquid

Chromatography (HPLC). Also structured questionnaire was used to determined socio

demographic factors of lactating mothers and the type of food they consumed after 72hrs.

Samples collected at General Sani Abacha Specialist Hospital Damaturu Yobe State

Nigeria showed the occurrence of AFM1 among 100 tested lactating mothers breast milk,

82% of the breast milk samples contained Aflatoxin M1. The occurrence of 93% of

AFM1 excreted in their urine shows exposure to the toxin for a short time period. The

study showed that male infants had higher percentage of 78.1% exposure and saliva

secretion of 81.3% due to male may probable tend to consume more volumes of breast

milk than the female.Structured questionnaire was used along side with analytical

analysis to determine urinary excretion of AFM1 among lactating mothers and it showed

that unemployed mothers had 100% exposure compared to the employed mothers

(46.1%) with statistically significant difference. Informal education and primary school

leavers had highest exposure of 100% AFM1;the educational qualification of lactating

mothers is significantly associated with secretion of AFM1 in breast milk, the highest

was informal education AFM1 excreted in urine of lactating mothers within 72hrs of food

consumption, showed 97.1% of mothers that took milk were exposed, meat: 100% were

exposed, corn meal: 93.4% exposed, also, date: 93%, ‗Brabisko/Biski‘: 30.6%, imported

vii