Evaluation of Surface Plasmon Resonance Relative to High Pressure Liquid Chromatography for the Determination of Paralytic Shellfish Toxins

• Published in: Journal of agricultural and food chemistry 2009-11, Vol.57 (21), p.10022-10031
• Main Authors: Rawn, Dorothea F.K, Niedzwiadek, Barbara, Campbell, Katrina, Higgins, H. Cowan, Elliott, Christopher T
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analytical Methods; Animals; antibody detection; Biological and medical sciences; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Fish and seafood industries; food analysis; food composition; food contamination; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; high performance liquid chromatography; high pressure treatment; Limit of Detection; paralytic shellfish poisoning; paralytic shellfish toxins; Saxitoxin - analysis; saxitoxins; Seafood - analysis; seafoods; shellfish; Shellfish - analysis; Surface Plasmon Resonance - methods; toxicity testing
• ISSN: 0021-8561; 1520-5118
• DOI: 10.1021/jf902176q

A surface plasmon resonance (SPR) method, incorporating monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies, was compared to HPLC fluorescence for the determination of paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs) in shellfish collected from different regions of Canada (n = 33) and Europe (n = 55). Cross-reactivity between saxitoxin (STX) and its structural analogues was determined for both monoclonal (GT-13A) and polyclonal (R895) antibodies. Method detection limits based on IC10 values, using the SPR methodology (0.55−71.3 ng/mL), in particular for GT-13A, were somewhat higher than those determined using HPLC (0.16−1.29 ng/mL). SPR analyses generally resulted in higher PST levels relative to those obtained using HPLC, although neither antibody successfully responded to the N-1-hydroxylated analogues (e.g., neosaxitoxin). Five and 10 (R895 and GT-13A, respectively) of the 88 samples tested resulted in PST concentrations above the regulatory limit (80 μg/100 g shellfish tissue as STX equivalents), although HPLC responses indicated that these samples were within acceptable levels. Two and five samples were found to have PST concentrations below the regulatory limit using the GT-13A and R895, respectively, when HPLC results exceeded the limit. SPR may be applicable as a screening technique, although improved antibody response to the N-1-hydroxylated PSTs is required prior to this method being safely used for routine testing.