title: Concentration and particle size of airborne toxic algae (brevetoxin) derived from ocean red tide events.
abstract: Red tides in the Gulf of Mexico are formed by blooms of the dinoflagellate Karenia brevis, which produces brevetoxins (PbTx). Brevetoxins can be transferred from water to air in the wind-powered whitecapped waves during red tide episodes. Inhalation exposure to marine aerosol containing PbTx causes respiratory problems. A liquid chromatograph/ tandem mass spectrometric method was developed for the detection and quantitation of several PbTxs in ambient samples collected during red tide events. This method was complemented by a previously developed antibody assay that analyzes the entire class of PbTx compounds. The method showed good linearity, accuracy, and reproducibility, allowing quantitation of PbTx compounds in the 10 pg/m3 range. Air concentrations of PbTxs and brevenal for individual samples ranged from 0.01 to 80 ng/m3. The particle size showed a single mode with a mass median diameter between 6 and 10 microm, which was consistent for all of the PbTx species that were measured. Our results imply that individual PbTxs were from the same marine aerosol or from marine aerosol that was produced from the same process. The particle size indicated the likelihood of high deposition efficiency in the respiratory tract with the majority of aerosol deposited in the upper airways and small but not insignificant deposition in the lower airways.
authors.affiliation: Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, 2425 Ridgecrest, SE, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87108, USA. ycheng@lrri.org
authors.forename: Yung Sung
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Jacob D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: McDonald
authors.forename: Dean
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kracko
authors.forename: C Mitch
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Irvin
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Richard H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Pierce
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Henry
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bourdelaisa
authors.forename: Jerome
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Naar
authors.forename: Daniel G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Baden
mesh_terms: D000336:Aerosols; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D001493:Bathing Beaches; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid / Q000379:methods; D004141:Dinoflagellida / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005431:Florida; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure; D007509:Irritants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008387:Marine Toxins / Q000032:analysis*; D008954:Models, Biological; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000032:analysis; D035964:Oxocins / Q000032:analysis*; D010316:Particle Size; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012623:Seawater / Q000032:analysis; D000095702:Polyether Toxins
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D000393:Air Pollutants; D007509:Irritants; D008387:Marine Toxins; D009498:Neurotoxins; D035964:Oxocins; C053342:brevetoxin; D000095702:Polyether Toxins