LC-MS profiling of DSP toxins in shellfish samples from the 2006 Scottish DSP monitoring programme
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Summary
This research project aimed to determine the concentrations and toxin composition of DSP toxins in selected mussel samples from the Scottish 2006 Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP) monitoring Programme.
At three shellfish production sites (Drovinish in Loch Roag, and Clift Sound and Ronas Voe in Shetland), toxin concentrations were examined over the 6-month period of the study to identify possible temporal trends over discrete sampling periods. General trends in toxin profile and levels of contamination were detected in these sites.
The study highlighted that comprehensive Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) analyses has proved to be a robust and a powerful tool to describe the spatial and temporal distributions of lipid-soluble toxin profiles in mussels from selected Scottish shellfish production sites during 2006. Temporal trends of okadaic acid and dinophysistoxins, at selected locations, indicated that these toxins could persist for up to several months.
This study has given the Agency a valuable insight in to the profiles of lipophillic toxin analogues that were present bivalve molluscs harvested from Scottish waters during 2006. The study has also shown the value of LC-MC as a tool for determining the profiles of these toxins in mussel samples.
Project Code: S14033
