Occurrence of diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP) toxins in clams (Ruditapes decussatus) from Tunis north lagoon.

The main diarrhetic shellfish toxins, okadaic acid (OA) and dinophysistoxin-1, 2 (DTX-2, 2) were detected by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) as pyrenacyl esters in clams (Ruditapes decussatus) collected in Tunis north lagoon from January 2007 to June 2008. Sample analyses by LC-MS/MS displayed OA and related congeners (DTX-2, 2) with a highest detected level of 21 μg OA eq/kg shellfish meat for the samples of January 2007. Nevertheless, all samples were MBA negative. During the study period, potentially toxic dinoflagellate Dinophysis sacculus was recorded all year, blooming at different times. Highest concentrations were recorded during January 2007 with 4.6 × 10(4) cells per liter and 4.10(4) cells per liter in the northern and southern districts, respectively. Results show that there is no significant correlation between D. sacculus densities in water column and diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP) toxins concentrations unregistered in clams. These data reveal that DSP toxicity in clams of Tunis north lagoon is low according to European regulatory limit (160 μg OA eq/kg shellfish meat). However, a potential threat, in this area, is represented by DSP toxic species as D. sacculus and provides grounds for widen and reinforcing sanitary control of the phycotoxin measures in the region.