New Gastropod Vectors and Tetrodotoxin Potential Expansion in Temperate Waters of the Atlantic Ocean

• DOI: 10.3390/md10040712
• Publication Date: 2012-03-26T15:04:58Z
• Authors: Marisa Silva; Joana Azevedo; Paula Rodriguez; Amparo Alfonso; Luis M. Botana; Vítor Vasconcelos
• Keywords: Tetrodotoxin

Tetrodotoxin is a potent low weight marine toxin found in warm waters, especially of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Intoxications are usually linked to consumption puffer fish, although TTX was already detected several different edible taxa. Benthic organisms such as mollusks echinoderms, with feeding habits, were collected monthly along Portuguese coast from summer 2009 until end 2010. The extraction analysis techniques optimized some analogues for first time two intertidal gastropod species-Gibbula umbilicalis Monodonta lineata by LC-MS/MS UPLC-MS/MS. Although levels low, these findings suggest that monitoring North Atlantic species should be implemented so detect potentially new vectors seasonal and/or geographical patterns.