title: An aquarium hobbyist poisoning: Identification of new palytoxins in Palythoa cf. toxica and complete detoxification of the aquarium water by activated carbon.
abstract: Palytoxin (PLTX) is a lethal natural toxin often found in Palythoa zoantharians that, together with its congeners, may induce adverse effects in humans after inhalation of toxic aerosols both in open-air and domestic environments, namely in the vicinity of public and private aquaria. In this study, we describe a poisoning of an aquarium hobbyist who was hospitalized after handling a PLTXs-containing zoantharian hexacoral. Furthermore, we provide evidence for water detoxification. The zoantharian was morphologically and genetically identified as Palythoa cf. toxica (Cnidaria: Anthozoa). Palytoxin itself and two new PLTX congeners, a hydroxyPLTX and a deoxyPLTX, were detected and structurally identified by liquid chromatography high resolution multiple stage mass spectrometry (LC-HRMSn, n = 1, 2). Total and individual toxins were quantified by LC-HRMS and sandwich ELISA both in the zoantharian (93.4 and 96.80 μg/g, respectively) and in the transport water (48.3 and 42.56 μg/mL, respectively), with an excellent mean bias of 1.3% between the techniques. Activated carbon adsorbed 99.7% of PLTXs contained in the seawater and this represents a good strategy for preventing aquarium hobbyist poisonings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, University of Napoli Federico II, Via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Luciana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tartaglione
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via A. Valerio 6, 34127 Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pelin
authors.affiliation: Museum of Nature South Tyrol, Via Bottai 1, 39100 Bolzano, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morpurgo
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, University of Napoli Federico II, Via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Napoli, Italy. Electronic address: dellaver@unina.it.
authors.forename: Carmela
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dell'Aversano
authors.affiliation: Molecular Invertebrate Systematics and Ecology Laboratory, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, University of the Ryukyus, 1 Senbaru, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0212, Japan.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Montenegro
authors.affiliation: General Hospital of Bolzano, Via L. Böhler 5, 39100 Bolzano, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sacco
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via A. Valerio 6, 34127 Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sosa
authors.affiliation: Molecular Invertebrate Systematics and Ecology Laboratory, Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus, 1 Senbaru, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0212, Japan.
authors.forename: James Davis
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Reimer
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, University of Napoli Federico II, Via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ciminiello
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via A. Valerio 6, 34127 Trieste, Italy. Electronic address: tubaro@units.it.
authors.forename: Aurelia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tubaro
mesh_terms: D000178:Acrylamides / Q000506:poisoning*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002606:Charcoal / Q000737:chemistry*; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D003064:Cnidarian Venoms / Q000737:chemistry*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D008658:Inactivation, Metabolic; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008875:Middle Aged; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D000095702:Polyether Toxins
chemical_list: D000178:Acrylamides; D002606:Charcoal; D003064:Cnidarian Venoms; D014867:Water; C010272:palytoxin; D000095702:Polyether Toxins
keywords: Deoxypalytoxin; ELISA; Hydroxypalytoxin; LC-HRMS; Palytoxin