Algae toxins

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Algae toxins are a class of toxic metabolic products of various algae that differ in terms of their chemical structure and their effects .

history

Algal bloom in the Atlantic Ocean off Brittany in the Atlantic Ocean

The knowledge of a connection between water blooms as an expression of the mass multiplication of algae and the mass death of animals is well known. For example, there are reports of such connections in the Bible (the first of the ten plagues , Exodus 7 : 20-21). The first regular written records of water blooms in connection with food poisoning can be found in the logbooks of shipping in the 19th century.

Occurrence and meaning

As phytoplankton, algae are at the beginning of (marine) food chains . Of these numerous different types of algae, only a tiny fraction, around 50 species, produce toxins. Under “normal” conditions, these poisonous algae, and consequently their toxins, are found in negligible concentrations in seawater. However, the algae toxins accumulate in the marine food chains: These poisons can get through edible fish , shellfish or mussels . U. in effective doses to the end of the food chain, where they can cause severe food poisoning. In addition to the high demands placed on food monitoring - the analysis of algae toxins is not an easy undertaking - there are also tangible economic interests connected with this.

The mass reproduction of poisonous algae, the so-called toxic algal bloom ( HAB), can lead to mass deaths of fish. Fixed aquacultures are also endangered by such algal blooms - another important economic aspect. The consumption of such dead fish by birds and marine mammals can in turn cause their death.

However, algae toxins also have positive effects on many marine life. For example, the accumulation of such poisons in various tissues or the entire organism serves as passive, effective protection against predators.

Classification

Algae toxins can be classified on the one hand according to the symptoms of the poisoning caused by them, on the other hand by their chemical structure. The table below gives a brief overview of the most important algae toxin poisonings and the active ingredients responsible.

Structural formulas of some algae toxins
Ciguatoxin CTX1B
Brevetoxin A
Palytoxin
poisoning Symptoms Toxins
amnesic shellfish poisoning ASP

ciguatera fish poisoning CFP
( Ciguatera )

  • Paresthesia ,
  • Muscle aches,
  • Numbness in the extremities,
  • Disturbances in feeling hot / cold

diarrhetic shellfish poisoning DSP

neurologic shellfish poisoning NSP

  • Paresthesia,
  • Vomit,
  • diarrhea

paralytic shellfish poisoning PSP

  • Paresthesia,
  • Numbness in the extremities,
  • Paralysis

Palytoxin poisoning

See also

swell

  1. ↑ GF Hallegraeff: Harmful algal blooms: a global overview. In: GM Hallegraeff, DMAnderson, AD Cembella (Ed.): Manual on harmful marine microalgae. UNESCO Publ., Paris 2003, ISBN 92-3-103871-0
  2. ↑ C. Bürk, E. Usleber, E. Märtlbauer: Poisoning by toxins of marine algae - an overview. In: Arch. Lebensmittelhyg. 49, 1, (1998)