An alarming episode of human intoxication due to the bloom of the tropical microalga Ostreopsis ovata occurred in Genoa, Italy, last summer. About two hundred people suffered from irritation of the high respiratory system, conjunctivitis, and fever after being exposed to marine aerosol. A direct cause-effect relationship between the above mentioned dinoflagellate and the recorded sanitary problems has been hypothesized, and a particular relevance has been attributed to the marine aerosol as a possible vector of biotoxins. The analysis of samples of O. ovata collected along the Liguria coasts as well as the analysis of cultures of this dinoflagellate required first the setting up a new LC-MS-based method for detecting palytoxin- one of the toxins produced by Ostreopsis spp.- in a sensitive, specific, and direct way. Applying such a method for the analysis of microalga samples, we were able to individuate the palytoxin as the agent responsible for the biointoxication.
LC-MS analysis of toxins produced by Ostreopsis / Fattorusso, Ernesto; Ciminiello, Patrizia; Dell'Aversano, Carmela; Forino, Martino; Grauso, Laura; Tartaglione, Luciana. - (2007), pp. 11-11. (Intervento presentato al convegno International Symposium on Algal Toxins tenutosi a Trieste nel 27-29/5/2007).
LC-MS analysis of toxins produced by Ostreopsis
FATTORUSSO, ERNESTO;CIMINIELLO, PATRIZIA;DELL'AVERSANO, CARMELA;FORINO, MARTINO;GRAUSO, LAURA;TARTAGLIONE, LUCIANA
2007
Abstract
An alarming episode of human intoxication due to the bloom of the tropical microalga Ostreopsis ovata occurred in Genoa, Italy, last summer. About two hundred people suffered from irritation of the high respiratory system, conjunctivitis, and fever after being exposed to marine aerosol. A direct cause-effect relationship between the above mentioned dinoflagellate and the recorded sanitary problems has been hypothesized, and a particular relevance has been attributed to the marine aerosol as a possible vector of biotoxins. The analysis of samples of O. ovata collected along the Liguria coasts as well as the analysis of cultures of this dinoflagellate required first the setting up a new LC-MS-based method for detecting palytoxin- one of the toxins produced by Ostreopsis spp.- in a sensitive, specific, and direct way. Applying such a method for the analysis of microalga samples, we were able to individuate the palytoxin as the agent responsible for the biointoxication.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
