First report of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from eastern Adriatic Sea (Croatia)

The chromatographic HPLC-FLD method was introduced for the first time to identify and quantitatively determine individual Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning toxins accumulated in aquacultured shellfish from Croatian coastal waters. Populations of Mediterranean mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) were contaminated with PSP toxins throughout January to April 2009 leading to the positive test results by Mouse Bioassay (MBA). Until 2009 there was no evidence of PSP toxins in the examined samples. For the first time an instrumental method revealed the PSP toxin profile of samples taken along the eastern Adriatic coast and identified saxitoxin (STX) as the main representative of this toxin group that may cause paralysis and death in consumers of contaminated shellfish. This phenomenon may have serious health and economic consequences. Following these potential consequences, marine biotoxins (PSP, ASP and DSP) are continuously assessed in bivalves from 25 breeding and harvesting areas along the Croatian Adriatic coast. Positive MBA results were confirmed by instrumental method in two out of three recorded samples. Saxitoxin was the dominant PSP toxin extracted from contaminated mussels within the range of 53.17-1298.17 μg g⁻¹, that contributed more than 70% to the total shellfish toxicity, followed by gonyautoxins 2 and 3 (GTX 2,3) which contributed 27% and decarbamoylsaxitoxin (dcSTX) that accounted for less than 2%, considering all stations.