Aim: To detect the
paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) contents and profiles in digest gland extractions from scallop and
mussel samples cultured in two stations in Daya Bay, Shenzhen. Methods: The contents and profiles were determined by Oshima's high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Results: The results showed a similar profile of toxins was present in each extraction. The six extractions that were analyzed had an unusually high proportion of low potency N-sulfocarbamoyl toxins GTX5, C1 and C2 (nearly 56 mole% of the total) and trace amount of saxitoxin derivatives STX, neoSTX and dcSTX (less than 3 mole% of the total toxin content). The most dominant toxin was GTX5 that was up to 35 mole% in average in scallop and 13 mole% in mussel. Either toxicity or toxin content of scallop is higher than that of mussel. The ratio of toxin C11 epimer α and β seem to have a positive linear relation with the amount of toxin content in the digest gland extraction of
shellfish. Conclusion: The low potency N-sulfocarbamoyl GTX5 and C1-2 were dominant toxins in the digest gland extractions from the two shellfish species and as well as in the toxins from toxic algae ingested by the shellfish. <