First Toxicological Analysis of the Pufferfish Sphoeroides pachygaster Collected in Italian Waters (Strait of Sicily): Role of Citizens Science in Monitoring Toxic Marine Species

Abstract

Pufferfish (Tetraodontidae) inhabiting the Mediterranean Sea may represent an emerging public health risk due to the possible accumulation of marine neurotoxins such as tetrodotoxin (TTXs) and saxitoxin (STXs) in their tissues. In this study, the presence of pufferfish species in the Strait of Sicily (Lampedusa Island, Italy) was investigated using a citizen science (CS) approach, involving local fishermen. Samples (liver, intestine, gonads, muscle, skin) from 20 specimens were sent to the National Reference Laboratory on Marine Biotoxins for TTXs detection using a validated HILIC-MS/MS method on fish tissue. The presence of STXs was also screened in part of the specimens. Overall, 56 specimens identified as Sphoeroides pachygaster (Müller &Troschel, 1848) were collected. Data on their total length, body weight, fishing method and catch area (with relative depth temperature and salinity) were analyzed and compared with the S. pachygaster records reported in literature which were updated to 2022. All the analysed tissues were found to be negative for both TTXs and STXs. CS played an essential role in monitoring potentially toxic marine species in this investigation. Outcomes from this study, which is the first investigating S. pachygaster toxicity in Italian waters, may provide useful data for the proper assessment of this emerging risk.

Analysis of the original notifications in the Tuscany region “Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed” in the seven-year period 2015-2021

“…Also in this case, the products mostly originated from Italy (n=11; 64.7%) and France (n=6; 35.3%). In marine waters, saxitoxins are produced by dinoflagellates, and they share a high structural affinity with tetrodotoxin and a similar mechanism of action (Malloggi et al ., 2023 ). A high concentration of both tetrodotoxins and saxitoxins was recently detected in mussels from Sicily, and this observation was correlated with algal bloom phenomena on the Ionian coasts of Sicily (Dell’Aversano et al ., 2019).…”

“…A high concentration of both tetrodotoxins and saxitoxins was recently detected in mussels from Sicily, and this observation was correlated with algal bloom phenomena on the Ionian coasts of Sicily (Dell’Aversano et al ., 2019). The spread of these toxins and organisms potentially accumulating in the Mediterranean waters is mainly due to global warming, and it represents an emerging risk for EU citizens (Malloggi et al , 2023 ).…”

Monthly Variation of Tetrodotoxin Levels in Pufferfish (Lagocephalus sceleratus) Caught from Antalya Bay, Mediterranean Sea

“…To date, most studies on pufferfish toxicity in the Mediterranean have focused particularly on L. sceleratus [2,8,33,36,[38][39][40][41][42][43][44]. However, there are also scientific studies on the TTX levels of T. flavimaculosus, L. guentheri, L. suezensis, and Sphoeroides pachygaster [2,8,37,45], whereas poisoning cases caused by the consumption of pufferfish have also been reported in different Mediterranean countries [17,46,47]. These poisoning cases mainly stemmed from misidentification and a lack of knowledge on pufferfish.…”