Comparison between mouse bioassay and HILIC-MS/MS for quantification of paralytic shellfish toxin in Japanese basket clams and mussels caught off coastal Osaka Bay in Japan

ABSTRACT

The content and composition of paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs) in Japanese basket clam (Corbicula japonica) and mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from Osaka Bay, Japan, were investigated using a mouse bioassay (MBA) and hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HILIC-MS/MS), and the association between toxicity values of MBA and HILIC-MS/MS was verified based on research data. The overall toxicity in Japanese basket clam was lower than that in the mussel. The PSTs of Japanese basket clam and mussel consisted mainly of C1, C2, and gonyautoxins 1–4 (GTX1–4) taking toxins compositional differences as mol%. When multiplying the content of different toxins by the toxic equivalent factor (TEF), C2 and GTX1–4 accounted for more than 90% of total toxicity (MU _TEF/g) based on the MU _TEF score converted by TEF for the two species. The total content of C2 and GTX1–4 converted to toxicity was significantly correlated with the toxicity determined by MBA for the two species (r² > 0.983). This study provides a suitable and ethical monitoring method to investigate toxicity in bivalves contaminated with A. tamarense by analysis of only predominant toxins, along with reducing use of MBA.

Graphical Abstract

KEYWORDS:

• Paralytic shellfish toxin
• mouse bioassay
• biomonitoring
• coastal zone
• Alexandrium tamarense
• Japanese basket clam
• mussel
• mouse bioassay
• HILIC–MS/MS

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Dr. Watanabe R. and Dr. Suzuki T., Professors at the National Research Institute of Fisheries Science, for donating NEO. The authors thank Dr. Nakao S. and Miss Sobue Y. who made a map. The authors are also grateful to all those who participated in this study.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed on the publisher’s website.

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Osaka City Government.