Geographical, Temporal, and Species Variation of the Polyether Toxins, Azaspiracids, in Shellfish

• Published in: Environmental science & technology 2003-07, Vol.37 (14), p.3078-3084
• Main Authors: Furey, Ambrose, Moroney, Cian, Magdalena, Ana Braña, Fidalgo Saez, Maria José, Lehane, Mary, James, Kevin J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Aquatic life; Biological and medical sciences; Bivalvia; Bivalvia - chemistry; Cardium; Cardium edule; Cerastoderma edule; Crassostrea gigas; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Environmental impact; Environmental Monitoring; Foodborne Diseases; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Geography; Humans; Ireland; Marine; Marine and brackish environment; Marine Toxins - analysis; Mollusks; Mytilus edulis; Ostreidae - chemistry; Pecten maximus; Poisons; Public Health; Reference Values; Risk Assessment; Shellfish; Spiro Compounds - analysis; Tapes philippinarum; Time Factors
• ISSN: 0013-936X; 1520-5851
• DOI: 10.1021/es020246z

Azaspiracid Poisoning (AZP) is a new toxic syndrome that has caused human intoxications throughout Europe following the consumption of mussels (Mytilus edulis), harvested in Ireland. Shellfish intoxication is a consequence of toxin-bearing microalgae in the shellfish food chain, and these studies demonstrated a wide geographic distribution of toxic mussels along the entire western coastal region of Ireland. The first identification of azaspiracids in other bivalve mollusks including oysters (Crassostrea gigas), scallops (Pecten maximus), clams (Tapes phillipinarium), and cockles (Cardium edule) is reported. Importantly, oysters were the only shellfish that accumulated azaspiracids at levels that were comparable with mussels. The highest levels of total azaspiracids (μg/g) recorded to-date were mussels (4.2), oysters (2.45), scallops (0.40), cockles (0.20), and clams (0.61). An examination of the temporal variation of azaspiracid contamination of mussels in a major shellfish production area revealed that, although maximum toxin levels were recorded during the late summer period, significant intoxications were observed at periods when marine dinoflagellate populations were low. Although human intoxications have so far only been associated with mussel consumption, the discovery of significant azaspiracid accumulation in other bivalve mollusks could pose a threat to human health.