Annual variation in domoic acid in phytoplankton and shellfish samples from Daya Bay of the South China Sea

Abstract

Domoic acid (DA) is a well-known phycotoxin that causes amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP) and is mainly produced by diatom species belonging to the genus Pseudo-nitzschia. An annual survey was conducted monthly over the period of September 2020 to August 2021 in Daya Bay of the South China Sea to investigate the dynamics of particulate and shellfish DA and their relationships with the abundance of Pseudo-nitzschia spp. and environmental parameters. Pseudo-nitzschia spp. was one of the most dominant phytoplankton taxa, and a Pseudo-nitzschia bloom occurred during the survey with the highest abundance of 1.91 × 106 cells L−1. DA was detected in almost all plankton samples with the highest value of 120.7 ng L−1, and high DA concentrations coincided with the abundant presence of Pseudo-nitzschia. DA is prevalent in Daya Bay throughout the year, with detection rates of 98.3%, 82.6%, and 82.6% in plankton samples, in-situ and purchased shellfish, respectively. Higher DA concentrations were detected in the scallop (Chamys nobilis), with the highest concentration of 5.34 µg g−1. High water temperature and low DSi:DIN ratio promoted the growth of Pseudo-nitzschia and DA production. The results suggest that the increasing nitrogen loading and silicate limitation during Pseudo-nitzschia blooms together with the increase in water temperature may increase the risk of DA contamination in Daya Bay.