First Report of a Toxic Nodularia spumigena (Nostocales/ Cyanobacteria) Bloom in Sub-Tropical Australia. II. Bioaccumulation of Nodularin in Isolated Populations of Mullet (Mugilidae)

Ian Stewart, Geoffrey K. Eaglesham, Glenn B. McGregor, Roger Chong, Alan A. Seawright, Wasantha A. Wickramasinghe, Ross Sadler, Lindsay Hunt and Glenn Graham
Additional contact information
Ian Stewart: Queensland Health Forensic and Scientific Services, 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains, Queensland 4108, Australia
Geoffrey K. Eaglesham: Queensland Health Forensic and Scientific Services, 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains, Queensland 4108, Australia
Glenn B. McGregor: Environment and Resource Sciences, Queensland Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts, Ecosciences Precinct, Boggo Road, Dutton Park, Queensland 4102, Australia
Roger Chong: Biosecurity Queensland, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains, Queensland 4108, Australia
Alan A. Seawright: The University of Queensland, National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology (EnTox), 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains, Queensland 4108, Australia
Wasantha A. Wickramasinghe: The University of Queensland, National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology (EnTox), 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains, Queensland 4108, Australia
Ross Sadler: School of Public Health, Griffith University, Parklands Drive, Southport, Queensland 4217, Australia
Lindsay Hunt: Queensland Health Forensic and Scientific Services, 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains, Queensland 4108, Australia
Glenn Graham: Queensland Health Forensic and Scientific Services, 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains, Queensland 4108, Australia

IJERPH, 2012, vol. 9, issue 7, 1-32

Abstract: Fish collected after a mass mortality at an artificial lake in south-east Queensland, Australia, were examined for the presence of nodularin as the lake had earlier been affected by a Nodularia bloom. Methanol extracts of muscle, liver, peritoneal and stomach contents were analysed by HPLC and tandem mass spectrometry; histological examination was conducted on livers from captured mullet. Livers of sea mullet ( Mugil cephalus ) involved in the fish kill contained high concentrations of nodularin (median 43.6 mg/kg, range 40.8–47.8 mg/kg dry weight; n = 3) and the toxin was also present in muscle tissue (median 44.0 ?g/kg, range 32.3–56.8 ?g/kg dry weight). Livers of fish occupying higher trophic levels accumulated much lower concentrations. Mullet captured from the lake 10 months later were also found to have high hepatic nodularin levels. DNA sequencing of mullet specimens revealed two species inhabiting the study lake: M. cephalus and an unidentified mugilid. The two mullet species appear to differ in their exposure and/or uptake of nodularin, with M. cephalus demonstrating higher tissue concentrations. The feeding ecology of mullet would appear to explain the unusual capacity of these fish to concentrate nodularin in their livers; these findings may have public health implications for mullet fisheries and aquaculture production where toxic cyanobacteria blooms affect source waters. This report incorporates a systematic review of the literature on nodularin measured in edible fish, shellfish and crustaceans.

Keywords: cyanobacteria; cyanotoxin; nodularin; Nodularia; seafood; mullet; recreational; HPLC-MS/MS (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
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