title: Structural confirmation and occurrence of azaspiracids in Scandinavian brown crabs (Cancer pagurus).
abstract: In 2005 and 2006, azaspiracids were for the first time detected in brown crabs (Cancer pagurus) from the west coast of Sweden and the north and north-west coast of Norway. Azaspiracids are marine toxins that have been detected in blue mussels in Europe in recent years. On some occasions, they have been responsible for human intoxications with symptoms similar to those occurring by consumption of shellfish contaminated with okadaic acid group toxins. While the latter toxin group has been reported to accumulate in green crabs and brown crabs, azaspiracids have previously only been reported to occur in bivalve molluscs. LC-MS analysis of the hepatopancreas (HP) and roe of brown crabs revealed the presence of azaspiracid-1, -2 and -3, but only very low levels were detected in the white meat from the claws or the main shell. Mass spectral data were recorded using two different mass spectrometers, one with a triple-quadrupole mass analyzer and one with a linear ion-trap mass analyzer. The identities of the toxins were confirmed by comparing retention times and mass spectra of azaspiracid standards and the detected toxins. Levels detected ranged from 1.4 microg/kg tissue up to as much as 733 microg/kg tissue, although the majority of samples analyzed were below the suggested regulatory limit of 170 microg/kg HP. Higher levels were detected in HP compared with roe. Very little azaspiracids were detected in mussels from the same locations at the same time, and no proposed microalgal source of azaspiracids was reported in the water previous to or at the time of collection of the toxic crabs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Feed and Food Hygiene, National Veterinary Institute, P.O. Box 8156 Dep., NO-0033 Oslo, Norway. trine.torgersen@vetinst.no
authors.forename: Trine
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Torgersen
authors.forename: Nanna Bruun
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Bremnes
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rundberget
authors.forename: Tore
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aune
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003386:Brachyura / Q000378:metabolism*; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D008387:Marine Toxins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009664:Norway; D013141:Spiro Compounds / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013548:Sweden; D000095702:Polyether Toxins
chemical_list: D008387:Marine Toxins; D013141:Spiro Compounds; C406592:azaspiracid; D000095702:Polyether Toxins