The Presence of Yessotoxins and Gymnodimine in the Mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis From the Southern Part of Adriatic Sea (Dubrovnik Area, Croatia)

Analysis of phycotoxins in tissue of the shellfish Mytilus galloprovincialis (Lamarck, 1819) have been carried out during the summer period of 2007 in the area of the Southern Adriatic, where no similar studies were done before. Mussel samples were collected from a localized site in Dubrovnik area during summer 2007 from July to September, twice a month. At the same time, sea-water samples were collected in order to find the presence of toxic phytoplankon species. Analysis of shellfish toxicity was performed by mouse bioassay, HPLC, and LCMS/MS. YTX and its analogue 45-OH YTX were detected. Gymnodimine was also measured, for the first time in Adriatic Sea. Phytoplankton analysis of seawater samples, collected in the investigated area, showed the occurrence of potential sources of YTX: Protoceratium reticulatum, Lingulodinium polyedrum and Gonyaulax spinifera. Potential source of Gymnodimine, Gymnodinium, was also detected.