Production of trichothecene mycotoxins on water damaged gypsum boards in Danish Buildings

Water damaged gypsum boards heavily infested with Stachybotrys chartarum were found in a school and in a domestic residence in Copenhagen. Samples were extracted with dichloromethane and cleaned up on Sep-Pak® C18 modules. The trichothecenes were detected as the heptafluorobutyrlated derivatives by gas chromatography ion trap mass spectrometry with negative ion chemical ionisation.

Extracts of samples from both locations yielded verrucarol after hydrolysis, strongly indicating the presence of toxic macrocyclic trichothecenes, probably satratoxin H and G. In addition the sample from the domestic residence yielded trichodermol.