Occurrence and Seasonal Monitoring of Domoic Acid in Three Shellfish Species from the Northern Adriatic Sea

Abstract

As filter feeders, bivalves and ascidians can accumulate contaminants present in the environment and pass them on to higher food chain levels as vectors. The consumption of bivalves contaminated with the potent neurotoxin domoic acid (DA) can cause amnesic shellfish poisoning in humans. The aim of this study was to determine seasonal differences in occurrence and accumulation of this phycotoxin in European oysters (Ostrea edulis Linnaeus, 1758) (n = 46), Queen scallops (Aequipecten opercularis Linnaeus, 1758) (n = 53), and edible ascidians of the Microcosmus spp. (n = 107), originating from the same harvesting area in the Northern Adriatic Sea. The quantification was performed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) preceded by derivatization with dansyl chloride. DA was found in very low concentrations throughout the year, with a maximum value of 810 μg/kg in Queen scallops. This study reveals differences in the occurrence and accumulation of DA between Queen scallops and the other two investigated species (oysters and ascidians) and the highest concentrations during the colder part of the year. Even though DA was detected in all of them, Queen scallops showed higher DA accumulation compared to the other two (p < 0.001), hence representing a sentinel species suitable for the monitoring of DA level in seafood.

Residue Analysis and Assessment of the Risk of Dietary Exposure to Domoic Acid in Shellfish from the Coastal Areas of China

“…Despite the substantial differences in DA accumulation, the concentrations in the five groups of shellfish samples did not exceed the 20,000 µg/kg regulatory level standard. DA was also present in 36.00% of European oysters, Queen scallops and ascidian samples in the northern Adriatic Sea, where DA concentrations ranged from 0-810 µg/kg [25]. In Lebanese coastal waters, at the same latitude as China, DA concentrations ranged from 150-3880 µg/kg in different shellfish samples [53].…”

“…Studies have shown that different shellfish accumulate different levels of DA in their tissues [20,24], probably due to different accumulation and elimination rates and differences in the distribution of DA in the various tissues [25]. In many bivalves, most of the DA accumulates in the digestive gland, which is the main site of metabolic elimination [26][27][28][29].…”

Comparative study of domoic acid accumulation, isomer content and associated digestive subcellular processes in five marine invertebrate species

“…Notwithstanding, profound inter-specific variability in the toxicokinetics of accumulation and depuration rates of DA burdens have been reported between several invertebrate species in the same affected area (Costa et al, 2004(Costa et al, , 2005aBogan et al, 2007a,b,c;Lage et al, 2012;Ben haddouch et al, 2016;Dusek Jennings et al, 2020;Blanco et al, 2021;Kvrgić et al, 2022). Thus, invertebrates have been broadly classified as "fast" or "slow" DA-depurators (Blanco et al, 2002a,b;Basti et al, 2018).…”