An interlaboratory collaborative study to validate a colorimetric phosphatase inhibition assay for quantitative determination of the okadaic acid (OA) toxins group in molluscs, OkaTest, was conducted. Eight test materials, including mussels, scallops, clams, and cockles, were analyzed as blind duplicates. Blank samples and materials containing different OA toxin levels ranging from 98 to 275 microg/kg OA equivalents were included. The study was carried out by a total of 16 laboratories from 11 different countries. Values obtained for repeatability relative standard deviations (RSDr) ranged from 5.4 to 11.2% (mean 7.5%). Reproducibility RSD (RSD(R)) values were between 7.6 and 13.2% (mean 9.9%). The Horwitz ratio (HorRat) values ranged between 0.4 and 0.6. A recovery assay was also carried out using a sample spiked with OA. A mean recovery of 98.0% and an RSD of 14.5% were obtained. The results obtained in this validation study indicate that the colorimetric phosphatase inhibition assay, OkaTest, is suitable for quantitative determination of the OA toxins group. OkaTest could be used as a test that is complementary to the reference method for monitoring the OA toxins group.

A phosphatase inhibition assay for detection of okadaic acid (OA) toxins in shellfish, OkaTest, was single laboratory validated according to international recognized guidelines (AOAC, EURACHEM). Special emphasis was placed on the ruggedness of the method and stability of the components. All reagents were stable for more than 6 months and the method was highly robust under normal laboratory conditions. The limit of detection and quantification were 44 and 56 µg/kg, respectively; both below the European legal limit of 160 µg/kg. The repeatability was evaluated with 2 naturally contaminated samples. The relative standard deviation (RSD) calculated was 1.4% at a level of 276 µg/kg and 3.9% at 124 µg/kg. Intermediate precision was estimated by testing 10 different samples (mussel and scallop) on three different days and ranged between 2.4 and 9.5%. The IC50 values of the phosphatase used in this assay were determined for OA (1.2 nM), DTX-1 (1.6 nM) and DTX-2 (1.2 nM). The accuracy of the method was estimated by recovery testing for OA (mussel, 78–101%; king scallop, 98–114%), DTX-1 (king scallop, 79–102%) and DTX-2 (king scallop, 93%). Finally, the method was qualitatively compared to the mouse bioassay and LC-MS/MS.

The Novozym 435(R) catalyzed esterification and hydrolysis reactions of 4-methyloctanoic acid (ethyl ester) were investigated. In both the hydrolysis and esterification reactions, the increase of ethanol concentration led to an increase in enantiomeric ratio (E). For hydrolysis of the ethyl ester, the E-value increased from 5.5 [0% (v/v) EtOH] up to 12 [20% (v/v) EtOH]. In case of esterification, the E-value was already 16 [14% (v/v) EtOH] and rose to 57 [73% (v/v) EtOH]. When combining these results of esterification and hydrolysis, an enantiomeric ratio of 350 can be estimated for the sequential kinetic resolution of 4-methyloctanoic acid. In this way, enantiopure 4-methyloctanoic acid could be obtained after two consecutive reaction steps.

Microcystins are toxins produced by some strains of cyanobacteria. Several methods have been developed to allow the quantification of microcystins, which are mainly endotoxins. Among those methods, the protein phosphatase inhibition assay is a good candidate as a screening method because of its sensitivity, simplicity and specificity. In this work a method for intracellular microcystin extraction in field water samples and lab cyanobacterial cultures prior to their analysis by protein phosphatase inhibition assay has been optimized. Microcystin-LR and Microcystis aeruginosa PCC 7806 were used as reference microcystin and strain, respectively, in order to optimize the protocol. The protocol consists on filtering the sample through a nylon filter of 0.8 microm, filter extraction with methanol 80% 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) 0.1% tween 20, extract centrifugation and supernatant dilution (1/20). The establishment of an extraction protocol was carried out determining the extraction volume, time of extraction and number of extractions. The advantages of the method developed in this work are basically its simplicity and avoiding the use of specific and expensive equipment.