Abstract
To investigate the prevalence of lipophilic marine biotoxins in shellfish from the Chinese market, we used hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to measure levels of okadaic acid (OA), azaspiracid (AZA1), pectenotoxin (PTX2), gymnodimine (GYM), and spirolide (SPX1). We collected and analyzed 291 shellfish samples from main production sites along a wide latitudinal transect along the Chinese coastline from December 2008 to December 2009. Results revealed a patchy distribution of the five toxins and highlighted the specific geographical distribution and seasonal and species variation of the putative toxigenic organisms. All five lipophilic marine biotoxins were found in shellfish samples. The highest concentrations of OA, AZA1, PTX2, GYM, and SPX1 were 37.3, 5.90, 16.4, 14.4, and 8.97 μg/kg, respectively. These values were much lower than the legislation limits for lipophilic shellfish toxins. However, the value might be significantly underestimated for the limited detection toxins. Also, these toxins were found in most coastal areas of China and were present in almost all seasons of the year. Thus, these five toxins represent a potential threat to human health. Consequently, studies should be conducted and measures should be taken to ensure the safety of the harvested product.
Highlights
Harmful algal species produce toxins that can accumulate in shellfish, leading to ecological perturbations, economic losses, threats to public health, and concerns about quality of shellfish products.In recent years, lipophilic marine biotoxins have become a worldwide problem
Commission regulation (EU) No 15/2011 [1], which amends regulation (EC) No 2074/2005, recognizes liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) testing methods for the detection of lipophilic toxins in live bivalve mollusks, and this technique is used for routine detection of toxins
The precision of the method meets the distribution investigation needs for these five marine lipophilic toxins in shellfish
Summary
Harmful algal species produce toxins that can accumulate in shellfish, leading to ecological perturbations, economic losses, threats to public health, and concerns about quality of shellfish products.In recent years, lipophilic marine biotoxins have become a worldwide problem. The tolerance limits and analytical methods used to ensure compliance to such limits differ significantly among countries. These differences should be eliminated in order to develop consistent rules for protection of public health and for greater harmonization of international trade. The regulatory structure in the European Union (EU) includes a series of regulations for the control of lipophilic toxins. Regulation (EC) N° 853/2004 sets the maximum levels for lipophilic toxins in bivalve molluscs being placed on the market for human consumption. Commission regulation (EU) No 15/2011 [1], which amends regulation (EC) No 2074/2005, recognizes liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) testing methods for the detection of lipophilic toxins in live bivalve mollusks, and this technique is used for routine detection of toxins
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