Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), Food Safety Group, Barrack Road, Weymouth, Dorset DT4 8UB, UK.
Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI), Marine Biotoxin Unit, Chemical Surveillance Branch, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute-Stormont, Belfast BT4 3SD, UK.
Mar Drugs. 2017 Aug 30;15(9):277. doi: 10.3390/md15090277.
Tetrodotoxins (TTXs) are traditionally associated with the occurrence of tropical Pufferfish Poisoning. In recent years, however, TTXs have been identified in European bivalve mollusc shellfish, resulting in the need to assess prevalence and risk to shellfish consumers. Following the previous identification of TTXs in shellfish from southern England, this study was designed to assess the wider prevalence of TTXs in shellfish from around the coast of the UK. Samples were collected between 2014 and 2016 and subjected to analysis using HILIC-MS/MS. Results showed the continued presence of toxins in shellfish harvested along the coast of southern England, with the maximum concentration of total TTXs reaching 253 µg/kg. TTX accumulation was detected in Pacific oysters (), native oysters () common mussels () and hard clams (), but not found in cockles (), razors ( species) or scallops (). Whilst the highest concentrations were quantified in samples harvested during the warmer summer months, TTXs were still evident during the winter. An assessment of the potential causative factors did not reveal any links with the phytoplankton species , instead highlighting a greater level of risk in areas of shallow, estuarine waters with temperatures above 15 °C.
河豚毒素（TTXs）通常与热带河豚鱼中毒的发生有关。然而，近年来，在欧洲双壳贝类软体动物中也发现了 TTXs，因此需要评估贝类消费者的流行率和风险。在先前确定了来自英国南部贝类中的 TTXs 之后，本研究旨在评估英国沿海贝类中 TTXs 的更广泛流行率。在 2014 年至 2016 年间采集了样本，并使用亲水相互作用色谱-串联质谱法进行了分析。结果表明，毒素继续存在于沿英国南部海岸收获的贝类中，总 TTXs 的最大浓度达到 253 µg/kg。在太平洋牡蛎（）、本地牡蛎（）、贻贝（）和蛤（）中检测到 TTX 积累，但在贻贝（）、牡蛎刀（物种）或扇贝（）中未发现。尽管在温暖的夏季月份收获的样本中定量了最高浓度，但冬季仍能检测到 TTXs。对潜在致病因素的评估并未发现与浮游植物种之间有任何关联，而是强调了在温度高于 15°C 的浅海、河口水域地区风险更大。
