Toxic Microalgae Algal toxins

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1 Toxic Microalgae Algal toxins Philipp Hess Ifremer Phycotoxins Laboratory Research Federation «Institut Universitaire Mer & Littoral» (P. Goulletquer, Ifremer Scientific Division)

2 Biodiversity = Chemodiversity

3 Multiple Drivers & Vectors affecting ecosystem health and human health

4 Harmful Algal Blooms HABs But HABs are not necessarily always in high densities: in France, a few hundred cells of Dinophysis per litre will often suffice to make mussels unfit for human consumption!!

5 WEB Site : Maxima (µg/kg d AO+DTXs+PTXs) Mussels Bay of Brest : 4126 Donax Bay of Douarnenez : 3048 Legal limit = 160 µg/kg Concentrations > 25 times legal limit!!

6 Synthesis Lipophylic Toxins English Channel Atlantic Mediterranean Very regular occurrence in many places!

7 Synthesis PSP toxins English Channel Atlantic Mediterranean Much more sporadic but

8 Saxitoxins 2012 (Brest Northwestern France) Legal limit = 800 µg/kg Concentrations > 10 times legal limit!! C. Belin & Z. Amzil - Journées REPHY, Nantes, 26 et 27 septembre 2012 Map LER/Concarneau

9 2010 Maxima (µg / kg equiv. AD) Pectinids Bay of Quiberon : 460 Mussels Antioche sound: 176 Clams Etel River: 123 Legal limit = 20 mg/kg Influence of storm Xynthia (area had never been affected before)!

10 Synthesis Amnesic Toxins English Channel Atlantic Mediterranean Sea

11 Shellfish Safety Algal toxins EU working group on emerging toxins (May 2012) 1. Ciguatoxins 2. Ovatoxins 3. Cyclic Imines 4. TTX Emerging in southern European waters Emerging in Mediterranean Spirolides everywhere, Pinnatoxin sporadic in France Gasteropod (PT) & fish in Mediterranean

12 Proliferation of Ostreopsis sp. in French coastal Waters First observed in 1972 along the coast of Villefranche sur mer (Taylor, 1979) Sporadically observed on Mediterranean coast until the first sanitory report in 2006 Atlantic coast, northern limit of its distribution on French coasts: La Rochelle 46 5 N 12

13 First sanitary report on August divers suffered from mouth and throat irritating symptoms with fever after diving in Frioul island, Marseille Ostreopsis cells per liter of seawater. The beaches were closed Ban of the comsumption of seafood until the end of August A specific monitoring plan was designed and implemented in summer cells per litre palytoxin chemical analysis in seafood. 13

14 Marseille Villefranche 2007: 4 alerts given due to exceeding the 4,000 cell trigger level 14

15 Marseille Villefranche 2008: 9 alert situations 15

16 Ecosystem Health Human Health Societal connection Cyclic imines (gymnodimines, spirolides, pinnatoxins) Many of these are found in shellfish around Europe s coastline (low concentrations) Some are chemically stable Can be surveyed using musselwatch programs (biological effects measurable in mussels) May be involved in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer & Parkinson Could be amplified by aging population moving to coast

17 France has implemented or is moving towards: Management decision platforms Vigiliance surveillance (bioassays) Rapid information to shellfish producers In depth toxicology studies Shellfish toxin surveillance Rapid decision making Algal identification Environmental monitoring Rapid Reporting Geographical Information Systems 17

18 Even a single small country such as France has many occurrences of harmful algae producing a variety of toxins Toxins regulated in EU occur repeatedly or sporadically but occasionally at concentrations detrimental to human health A number of toxins appear emerging in France / EU due to climate change and or other global change factors, including ballast water releases Further epidemiological studies are needed to evaluate the risk of these emerging toxins Intense environmental and food safety monitoring programs enable intelligent knowledge management systems for rapid risk communication

19 Thanks for your attention!!