Toxic Microalgae Algal toxins Philipp Hess Ifremer Phycotoxins Laboratory Research Federation «Institut Universitaire Mer & Littoral» (P. Goulletquer, Ifremer Scientific Division)
Biodiversity = Chemodiversity
Multiple Drivers & Vectors affecting ecosystem health and human health
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!!
WEB Site : www.envlit.ifremer.fr 2011 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!!
Synthesis Lipophylic Toxins 1995-2009 English Channel Atlantic Mediterranean Very regular occurrence in many places!
Synthesis PSP toxins 1995-2009 English Channel Atlantic Mediterranean Much more sporadic but
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
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)!
Synthesis Amnesic Toxins 1999-2009 English Channel Atlantic Mediterranean Sea
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
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
First sanitary report on August 2006 4 divers suffered from mouth and throat irritating symptoms with fever after diving in Frioul island, Marseille. 38 000 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 2007. 4000 cells per litre palytoxin chemical analysis in seafood. 13
Marseille Villefranche 2007: 4 alerts given due to exceeding the 4,000 cell trigger level 14
Marseille Villefranche 2008: 9 alert situations 15
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
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
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
Thanks for your attention!! Phillip.hess@ifremer.fr