Prevalence of the neurotoxin domoic acid in the aquatic environments of the Bohai and Northern Yellow seas in China

Abstract

Domoic acid (DA), a natural marine phytotoxin produced by toxigenic algae, is harmful to fishery organisms and the health of seafood consumers. In this study, we performed a whole-sea area investigation of DA in seawater, suspended particulate matter (SPM), and phytoplankton of the Bohai and Northern Yellow seas to clarify the occurrence, phase partitioning, spatial distribution, potential sources, and environmental influencing factors of DA in the aquatic environment. DA in different environmental media was identified using liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. DA was found to be predominantly in a dissolved phase (99.84 %) in seawater with only 0.16 % in SPM. Dissolved DA (dDA) was widely detected in nearshore and offshore areas of the Bohai Sea, Northern Yellow Sea, and Laizhou Bay with concentrations ranging from < limits of detection (LOD) to 25.21 ng/L (mean: 7.74 ng/L), < LOD to 34.90 ng/L (mean: 16.91 ng/L), and 1.74 ng/L to 38.20 ng/L (mean: 21.28 ng/L), respectively. dDA levels were relatively lower in the northern part than in the southern part of the study area. In particular, the dDA levels in the nearshore areas of Laizhou Bay were significantly higher than in other sea areas. This may be due to seawater temperature and nutrient levels exerting a crucial impact on the distribution of DA-producing marine algae in Laizhou Bay during early spring. Pseudo-nitzschia pungens may be the main source of DA in the study areas. Overall, DA was prevalent in the Bohai and Northern Yellow seas, especially in the nearshore aquaculture zone. Routine monitoring of DA in the mariculture zones of the northern seas and bays of China should be performed to warn shellfish farmers and prevent contamination.