High pressure liquid chromatographic determination of toxins associated with paralytic shellfish poisoning.

A high pressure liquid chromatographic procedure is described for assay of toxins associated with paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP). The method is applicable to saxitoxin, neosaxitoxin, gonyautoxins I through IV, and their sulfocarbamoyl derivatives. Toxins are separated on a bonded phase cyano column and detected by fluorescence following alkaline oxidation (NH+4 and periodic acid). The utility of the HPLC procedure for research and monitoring is discussed.