1. Accumulation of PSP toxins in Atlantic mackerel: seasonal and ontogenetic variations
- Author
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S. S. Bates, J.‐L. Beaulieu, François Grégoire, Martin Castonguay, Sonia Michaud, E. Bonneau, and Maurice Levasseur
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Scombridae ,Mackerel ,Zoology ,Aquatic Science ,medicine.disease_cause ,01 natural sciences ,03 medical and health sciences ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Atlantic mackerel ,medicine ,14. Life underwater ,Paralytic shellfish poisoning ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,030304 developmental biology ,Scomber ,Saxitoxin ,0303 health sciences ,biology ,Ecology ,Toxin ,010604 marine biology & hydrobiology ,biology.organism_classification ,medicine.disease ,eye diseases ,chemistry ,Bioaccumulation - Abstract
Atlantic mackerel Scomber scombrus are known to be lethal vectors of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxins to predators. To elucidate dynamics of PSP toxin accumulation in this species, mackerel were sampled in the Gulf of St Lawrence from May to October 1993. Mackerel appear to retain toxins (saxitoxin, gonyautoxins 2 and 3) year-round. The toxin content of the liver, as determined by high performance liquid chromatography, increased significantly with fish age (r2=0.40) and length (r2=0.52), suggesting that mackerel progressively accumulate PSP toxins throughout their life. The toxin content of the liver also increased significantly during the summer feeding sojourn in the Gulf of St Lawrence. Comparison of profiles of saxitoxin derivatives indicated that zooplankton were the likely source of PSP toxins found in mackerel. The mean ± S.D toxin content was 17.4 ± 10.6 nmol liver−1 and the mean ± S.D. PSP toxicity was 112.4 ± 67.0 μg saxitoxin equivalents 100 g−1 liver wet weight (n=247).
- Published
- 1997