Monthly distribution of lipophilic marine biotoxins and associated microalgae in the South Sea Coast of Korea throughout 2021

Aquaculture farms have been established along the South Sea Coast of Korea, supplying most of the seafood consumed domestically. However, annual harmful algal blooms pose a potential threat to seafood safety. This study aimed to determine the spatial and seasonal distributions of 12 lipophilic marine biotoxins (LMTs) in phytoplankton and mussels in the region in 2021. Solid-phase adsorption toxin tracking (SPATT) was used to monitor the cumulative compositions of LMTs in seawater. LMT concentrations were also determined in twelve commercially available species of domestic shellfish to evaluate the potential risks to human health. Gonyaulux spinifera and Dinophysis acuminata, causative microalgae of yessotoxins (YTXs) and pectenotoxins (PTXs), respectively, showed high densities in the region from May to July. This period corresponded to high LMT concentrations in phytoplankton and mussels. Phytoplankton mainly contained PTX-2 and homo-YTX, with a maximum concentration of 2300 ng g-1 wet weight (ww) in May. In contrast, mussels mainly contained homo-YTX and YTX, with a maximum concentration of 1300 ng g-1 ww in July. LMTs-producing microalgae showed low densities and concentrations after July, whereas mussels accumulated toxins until September. In the SPATT sampler, more diverse LMTs were detected than in seawater, phytoplankton, and mussels. For example, dinophysistoxin-1 and azaspiracid-2 were detected only in SPATT. YTXs were detected in domestic seafood samples, including mussels, red scallops, and pen shells, but the concentrations were below the European Food Safety Agency recommended standard of 3.75 mg YTX-eq. kg-1. Moreover, the hazard quotient was less than 100 in all scenarios, indicating that the human health risk was not significant. This study provides valuable data on monthly distribution patterns of LMTs in the South Sea Coast of Korea and can serve as baseline data for future management policies of marine biotoxins.

Contamination status of lipophilic marine toxins in shellfish samples from the Bohai Sea, China

Lipophilic marine toxins in shellfish pose significant threats to the health of seafood consumers. To assess the contamination status of shellfish by lipophilic marine toxins in the Bohai Sea, nine species of shellfish periodically collected from five representative aquaculture zones throughout a year were analyzed with a method of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Lipophilic marine toxins, including okadaic acid (OA), dinophysistoxin-1 (DTX1), pectenotoxin-2 (PTX2), yessotoxin (YTX), homo-yessotoxin (homo-YTX), azaspiracids (AZA2 and AZA3), gymnodimine (GYM), and 13-desmethyl spirolide C (13-DesMe-C), were detected in more than 95 percent of the shellfish samples. Toxins PTX2, YTX, 13-DesMe-C and GYM were predominant components detected in shellfish samples. Scallops, clams and mussels accumulated much higher level of lipophilic marine toxins compared to oysters. Toxin content in shellfish samples collected from different sampling locations showed site-specific seasonal variation patterns. High level of toxins was found during the stages from December to February and June to July in Hangu, while from March to April and August to September in Laishan. Some toxic algae, including Dinophysis acuminata, D. fortii, Prorocentrum lima, Gonyaulax spinifera and Lingulodinium polyedrum, were identified as potential origins of lipophilic marine toxins in the Bohai Sea. The results will offer a sound basis for monitoring marine toxins and protecting the health of seafood consumers.

Lipophilic marine toxins discovered in the Bohai Sea using high performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry

Some dinoflagellates can produce lipophilic marine toxins, which pose potent threats to seafood consumers. In the Bohai Sea, an important semi-closed inland sea with intensive mariculture industry in China, there is little knowledge concerning lipophilic marine toxins and their potential threats. In this study, net-concentrated phytoplankton samples were periodically collected from 5 typical mariculture zones around the Bohai Sea, including Laishan (LS), Laizhou (LZ), Hangu (HG), Qinhuangdao (QHD) and Huludao (HLD) in 2013 and 2014, and a method using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with a Q-Trap mass spectrometer was applied to analyze seven representative lipophilic marine toxins, including okadaic acid (OA), dinophysistoxin-1 (DTX1), pectenotoxin-2 (PTX2), yessotoxin (YTX), azaspiracid-1 (AZA1), gymnodimine (GYM), and 13-desmethyl spirolide C (desMeC). The method had high sensitivity and repeatability, and exhibited satisfactory recoveries for most of the lipophilic marine toxins (92.1-108%) except for AZA1 (65.8-68.9%). Nearly all the lipophilic marine toxins could be detected in phytoplankton samples from the Bohai Sea. OA, DTX1 and PTX2 were predominant components and present in most of the phytoplankton samples. The maximum content of lipophilic marine toxin in phytoplankton samples concentrated from seawater (OA 464 pg L^-1; DTX1 783 pg L^-1; YTX 86.6 pg L^-1; desMeC 15.6 pg L^-1; PTX2 1.11 × 10³ pg L^-1) appeared in June 2014. Based on toxins present in phytoplankton samples, it is implied that seafood in the Bohai Sea is more likely to be contaminated by OA group and PTX group toxins, and spring is the high-risk season for toxin contamination.

High resolution mass spectrometry-based screening reveals lipophilic toxins in multiple trophic levels from the North Sea

Lipophilic marine biotoxins, which are mainly produced by small dinoflagellates, are increasingly detected in coastal waters across the globe. As these producers are consumed by zooplankton and shellfish, the toxins are introduced, bioaccumulated and possibly biomagnified throughout marine food chains. Recent research has demonstrated that ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS) is an excellent tool to detect marine toxins in algae and seafood. In this study, UHPLC-HRMS was used to screen lipophilic marine biotoxins in organisms from different trophic levels of the Belgian coastal zone ecosystem. A total of 20 tentatively identified lipophilic compounds was detected. Hereby, the trophic transfer of lipophilic marine biotoxins to the upper trophic level was considered to be rather limited. Furthermore, 36% of the compounds was clearly transferred between different organisms. A significant biotransformation of compounds from the okadaic acid and spirolide toxin groups was observed (64%), mainly in filter feeders. Through a multi-targeted approach, this study showed that marine organisms in the Belgian coastal zone are exposed to a multi-toxin mixture. Further research on both single compound and interactive toxic effects of the frequently detected lipophilic marine toxin ester metabolites throughout the food chain is therefore needed. As a future perspective, confirmatory identification of potential toxins by studying their fragmentation spectra (using new tools such as hybrid quadrupole Q-Exactive™ Orbitrap-MS) is designated.

Screening of lipophilic marine toxins in marine aquaculture environment using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

This study aimed to develop an exact mass suspect screening approach to perform finding of multiple lipophilic marine toxins (LMTs) in seawater, suspended particulate matter (SPM), and marine sediment from marine aquaculture area using liquid chromatography-time of flight mass spectrometry (LC-TOF/MS). The method was validated and proven to be reliable for the screening of various LMTs. Then, the method was applied to screen LMTs in marine environmental samples collected from mariculture area of Jiaozhou Bay, China. Okadaic acid (OA), pectenotoxin 2 (PTX2), etc were detected and tentatively identified. Positive detection results were confirmed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and contents of OA and PTX2 in seawater, SPM and marine sediment were also quantified. The mean concentration of OA ranged from 2.71 to 14.06 ng L^-1 in seawater and from 0.78 to 3.34 ng g^-1 dry weight in marine sediment. The mean concentration of PTX2 ranged from 0.86 to 7.90 ng L^-1 in seawater, from 1.56 to 10.67 ng in SPM obtained from 1 L seawater sample and from 0.95 to 2.23 ng g^-1 dry weight in marine sediment. The above results suggested that the proposed method was convenient and reliable for the screening of LMTs in different marine environmental samples. In addition, typical LMTs exist in different marine environmental media of the mariculture area of Jiaozhou Bay, China. Follow-up studies should focus on improving current understanding on the environmental behavior of these LMTs in the marine aquaculture environment.

Determination of typical lipophilic marine toxins in marine sediments from three coastal bays of China using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry after accelerated solvent extraction

A method based on sample preparation by accelerated solvent extraction and analysis by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was validated and used for determination of seven typical lipophilic marine toxins (LMTs) in marine sediment samples collected from three typical coastal bays in China. Satisfactory specificity, reproducibility (RSDs ≤ 14.76%), stability (RSDs ≤ 17.37%), recovery (78.0%-109.0%), and detection limit (3.440 pg/g-61.85 pg/g) of the developed method were achieved. The results obtained from the analysis of samples from Hangzhou Bay revealed okadaic acid as the predominant LMT with concentrations ranging from 186.0 to 280.7 pg/g. Pecenotoxin-2 was quantified in sediment samples from Laizhou Bay at the concentrations from 256.4 to 944.9 pg/g. These results suggested that the proposed method was reliable for determining the typical LMTs in marine sediments and that the sediments obtained from Hangzhou Bay, Laizhou Bay and Jiaozhou Bay were all contaminated by certain amounts of LMTs.

Determination of lipophilic marine toxins in mussels. Quantification and confirmation criteria using high resolution mass spectrometry

A multitoxin method has been developed for quantification and confirmation of lipophilic marine biotoxins in mussels by liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), using an Orbitrap-Exactive HCD mass spectrometer. Okadaic acid (OA), yessotoxin, azaspiracid-1, gymnodimine, 13-desmethyl spirolide C, pectenotoxin-2 and Brevetoxin B were analyzed as representative compounds of each lipophilic toxin group. HRMS identification and confirmation criteria were established. Fragment and isotope ions and ion ratios were studied and evaluated for confirmation purpose. In depth characterization of full scan and fragmentation spectrum of the main toxins were carried out. Accuracy (trueness and precision), linearity, calibration curve check, limit of quantification (LOQ) and specificity were the parameters established for the method validation. The validation was performed at 0.5 times the current European Union permitted levels. The method performed very well for the parameters investigated. The trueness, expressed as recovery, ranged from 80% to 94%, the precision, expressed as intralaboratory reproducibility, ranged from 5% to 22% and the LOQs range from 0.9 to 4.8pg on column. Uncertainty of the method was also estimated for OA, using a certified reference material. A top-down approach considering two main contributions: those arising from the trueness studies and those coming from the precision's determination, was used. An overall expanded uncertainty of 38% was obtained.

Automated on-line solid-phase extraction coupled to liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for determination of lipophilic marine toxins in shellfish

Automated on-line solid-phase extraction (SPE) coupled to liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) has been developed for fast determination of lipophilic marine toxins in shellfish samples. The direct coupling of an on-line SPE column to LC-MS/MS was accomplished using column switching techniques. Suitable chromatographic separation was performed on a reversed-phase C18 column under alkaline conditions (pH 11). The selected reversed-phase C18 SPE column allowed rapid and efficient on-line desalting of hydrolysed shellfish samples, avoiding signal suppression during mass spectrometry detection. Furthermore, the on-line SPE procedure allowed reducing matrix effects observed in raw and hydrolysed shellfish extracts. The proposed method was evaluated in terms of linearity, precision, accuracy and limits of detection (LODs). Quantitative recovery (97-102%) and satisfactory inter-day precision (RSD<8%) were achieved for all target compounds. LODs in the sub-μgkg^-1 level (0.37-0.68μgkg^-1) were obtained for all toxins except for okadaic acid, which showed a value of 2.75μgkg^-1. Several mussel samples from North-western Spain were finally analysed in order to demonstrate the applicability of the method. Okadaic acid was the predominant toxin in all samples, although other lipophilic toxins were also detected.