A Natural and Concurrent Interferent in Bolinus brandaris with Consequences on Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning Risk...

Regulations aimed to protect public health from amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP) are focused on the detection and accurate quantification of domoic acid (DA). The reference detection determination used by the different shellfish safety monitoring agencies worldwide is HPLC separation followed by UV detection, in which different chromatographic column lengths or brands are accepted as long as it is C18 column. A laboratory validation of this method showed different performance of two accepted chromatographic columns when analyzing Bolinus brandaris samples. A natural compound, present only in those samples that contained DA, was evidenced by one of the columns. The DA quantification obtained with the column that coelutes both compounds was approximately twice the amount obtained with the column that separates them. This difference has important consequences in the ASP toxins management for this fishery. The identity and toxicity of the compound are still unknown.