Abstract:
Paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) is a common fear among shellfish consumers.
Saxitoxins are the group of compounds that are responsible for PSP. These compounds
are produced by Pyrodinium bahamense var. compressum (PbC) which accumulate in
Perna viridis as they feed on PbC. This study aims to determine the presence of an
alternative pathway, called the dissolved pathway, through which saxitoxins accumulate
in Perna viridis independent of PbC. Perna viridis were exposed to a certain
concentration of saxitoxins for a period of 24 hours and saxitoxin levels were determined
at certain times throughout the period. The High Performance Liquid Chromatography
(HPLC) - Oshima method was used in the measurement of toxin levels. Results show
that mussels accumulate saxitoxins even in the absence of PbC, which supported the
hypothesis that an alternative dissolved pathway contributes to the accumulation of
saxitoxins in Perna viridis.
