Se Pu
College of Food Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China.
Published: March 2024
Algal toxins are secondary metabolites produced by harmful algae; these metabolites are characterized with strong toxicity, diverse structure and bioaccumulation. Aquatic organisms that feed on harmful algae can accumulate algal toxins in their bodies, and the consumption of these organisms by humans can cause symptoms of paralysis, diarrhea, and even death. The onset of poisoning can occur within as little as 30 min; in many cases, no suitable antidote for algal toxins is available. Thus, algal toxins present significant threats to human health, the aquaculture industry, and aquatic ecosystems. Because the potential risks of algal toxins are a critical issue, these toxins have become a research hotspot. The water environment and various types of aquatic products should be monitored and analyzed to ensure their safety. However, because of possible matrix effects and the low content of algal toxins in actual samples, an efficient pretreatment method is necessary prior to instrumental analyses. Efficient sample pretreatment techniques can not only reduce or eliminate interferences from the sample matrix during analysis but also enrich the target analytes to meet the detection limit of the analytical instrument, thereby ensuring the sensitivity and accuracy of the detection method. In recent years, sample pretreatment techniques such as solid-phase extraction (SPE), solid-phase microextraction (SPME), magnetic SPE (MSPE), dispersive SPE (DSPE), and pipette tip-based SPE (PT-SPE) have gained wide attention in the field of algal-toxin separation and analysis. The performance of these pretreatment techniques largely depends on the characteristics of the extraction materials. Given the diverse physicochemical properties of algal toxins, including their different molecular sizes, hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity, and charges, the design and preparation of materials suitable for algal-toxin extraction is an essential undertaking. The optimal extraction material should be capable of reversible algal-toxin adsorption and preferably possess a porous structure with a large surface area to allow for high recovery rates and good interfacial contact with the toxins. Additionally, the extraction material should exhibit good chemical stability in the sample solution and elution solvent within the working pH range; otherwise, it may dissolve or lose its functional groups. Many research efforts have sought to develop novel adsorbent materials with these properties in the separation and analysis of algal toxins, focusing on carbon-based materials, metal organic frameworks (MOFs), covalent organic frameworks (COFs), molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), and their functionalized counterparts. Carbon-based materials, MOFs, and COFs have advantages such as large surface areas and abundant adsorption sites. These extraction materials are widely used in the separation and analysis of target substances in complex environmental, biological, and food samples owing to their excellent performance and unique microstructure. They are also the main adsorbents used for the extraction of algal toxins. These extraction materials play an essential role in the extraction of algal toxins, but they also present a number of limitations: (1) Carbon-based materials, MOFs, and COFs have relatively poor selective-adsorption ability towards target substances; (2) Most MOFs are unstable in aqueous solutions and challenging to apply during extraction from water-based sample solutions; (3) COFs mainly consist of lightweight elements, rendering them difficult to completely separate from sample solutions using centrifugal force, which limits their application range; (4) Although MIPs have good selectivity, issues such as template-molecule loss, slow mass-transfer rates, and low adsorption capacity must be addressed. Therefore, the design and preparation of novel functionalized extraction materials specifically tailored for algal toxins and studies on new composite extraction materials are highly desirable. This article collects representative literature from domestic and international research on algal-toxin analysis over the past decade, summarizes the relevant findings, categorizes the applications of novel functional materials in algal-toxin-extraction processes, and provides an outlook on their future development prospects.
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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10951811 | PMC |
http://dx.doi.org/10.3724/SP.J.1123.2023.10006 | DOI Listing |
Environ Sci Technol
January 2025
Key Laboratory of Eutrophication and Red Tide Prevention of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
Pyrene, a representative polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, frequently occurs in aquatic environments and is associated with lethal impacts on humans and wildlife. This study examined the impact of pyrene on , a dinoflagellate responsible for harmful algal blooms, and their capability to bioremove pyrene. In a 96 h exposure experiment, effectively reduced the pyrene concentration in seawater to 50, 100, and 200 μg/L, with a combined removal efficiency of 96% in seawater.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAppl Environ Microbiol
January 2025
Program in Chemical Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
The Winam Gulf in the Kenyan region of Lake Victoria experiences prolific, year-round cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cyanoHABs) which pose threats to human, livestock, and ecosystem health. To our knowledge, there is limited molecular research on the gulf's cyanoHABs, and thus, the strategies employed for survival and proliferation by toxigenic cyanobacteria in this region remain largely unexplored. Here, we used metagenomics to analyze the Winam Gulf's cyanobacterial composition, function, and biosynthetic potential.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPathogens
November 2024
New Brunswick Research and Productivity Council (RPC), 921 College Hill Rd, Fredericton, NB E3B 6Z9, Canada.
Harmful cyanobacterial blooms produce cyanotoxins which can adversely affect humans and animals. Without proper monitoring and detection programs, tragedies such as the loss of pets or worse are possible. Multiple factors including rising temperatures and human influence contribute to the increased likelihood of harmful cyanobacteria blooms.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFood Addit Contam Part A Chem Anal Control Expo Risk Assess
January 2025
State Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety, China National Institute for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China.
Algae supplements are widely recognized for their nutritional benefits and are commonly marketed as natural health products. However, concerns regarding contamination with cyanobacterial toxins have been raised. Moreover, there is very little data regarding the potential contamination of algal supplements on the Chinese market by these toxins.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHeliyon
December 2024
Groupe de Recherche en Écologie de la MRC Abitibi (GREMA), Institut de Recherche sur les Forêts, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, 341 Rue Principale N, Amos, QC, J9T 2L8, Canada.
Lake cyanobacteria can overgrow and form blooms, often releasing life-threatening toxins. Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are typically caused by excess nutrients and high temperatures, but recent observations of cyanobacteria beneath the ice in boreal lakes suggest that the dynamics are more complex. This study investigates the seasonal dynamics of HABs in boreal lakes and identifies their driving factors.
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