Johnson G R, Hanic L, Judson I, Nijjar P, Tasker A
Can Dis Wkly Rep. 1990 Sep;16 Suppl 1E:33-5.
The cultured mussel industry of Prince Edward Island had never experienced a toxic disease problem until November of 1987. With the successful use of the long-line culture system, the yearly production of fresh mussels to the gourmet food market had risen to close to 3.2 million pounds (1.46 million kg) of product. The physiology of this sessile bivalve and its method of feeding and location in the estuary leave it prone to the accumulation of a widely distributed biotoxin. Eastern Prince Edward Island became the epicentre of domoic acid-intoxicated mussels as early as 10 November 1987 (retrospective samples) during an intense bloom of the diatom Nitzschia. Mussels were able to accumulate large amounts of the domoic acid with little effect on their own well-being. Despite being in low water temperatures (below 4 degrees C) and under thick ice cover, the levels of the toxin decreased and were undetectable in about 6 weeks. The following year the toxin was detected in much smaller amounts, and the levels of toxin accumulation demonstrated a variable lag time with the increase in concentration of Nitzschia available in the water column. The sales of Prince Edward Island cultured mussels have rebounded to about 140% of the pre-domoic acid crisis.
直到1987年11月，爱德华王子岛的养殖贻贝产业从未经历过有毒疾病问题。随着延绳养殖系统的成功应用，供应给美食市场的新鲜贻贝年产量已增至接近320万磅（146万千克）。这种固着双壳贝类的生理特性及其摄食方式和在河口的位置使其易于积累广泛分布的生物毒素。早在1987年11月10日（追溯样本）硅藻菱形藻大量繁殖期间，爱德华王子岛东部就成为了受软骨藻酸毒害贻贝的中心。贻贝能够积累大量软骨藻酸，而自身健康几乎不受影响。尽管水温较低（低于4摄氏度）且冰层很厚，但毒素水平在约6周内下降且检测不到。次年检测到的毒素量少得多，毒素积累水平随着水柱中可利用的菱形藻浓度增加呈现出可变的滞后时间。爱德华王子岛养殖贻贝的销售额已反弹至软骨藻酸危机前的约140%。
