A Microencapsulation Method for Delivering Tetrodotoxin to Bivalves to Investigate Uptake and Accumulation

Most marine biotoxins are produced by microalgae. The neurotoxin tetrodotoxin (TTX) has been reported in many seafood species worldwide but its source is unknown, making accumulation and depuration studies in shellfish difficult. Tetrodotoxin is a water-soluble toxin and cannot be directly ingested by shellfish. In the present study, a method was developed which involved binding TTX to solid particles of humic acid and encapsulating them in agar-gelatin capsules. A controlled quantity of TTX-containing microcapsules (size range 20-280 mu m) was fed to Paphies australis, a bivalve known to accumulate TTX in the wild. The TTX-containing microcapsules were fed to P. australis every second day for 13 days. Ten P. australis (including five controls fed non-toxic microalgae) were harvested after 7 days and ten after 13 days. Paphies australis accumulated TTX, reaching concentrations of up to 103 mu g kg(-1) by day 13, exceeding the European Food Safety Authority recommended concentration of 44 mu g kg(-1) in shellfish. This novel method will allow future studies to explore the effects, accumulation and depuration rates of TTX in different animals and document how it is transferred through food webs.

Automated summary

A method was developed to feed TTX-containing microcapsules to Paphies australis for studying its accumulation and depuration in shellfish. The experiment showed that P. australis could accumulate TTX rapidly, exceeding the recommended concentration by the European Food Safety Authority. This novel method will allow for further exploration of TTX effects and transfer through food webs.