Abstract:Paralytic shellfish poisoning, caused by the ingestion of shellfish contaminated with paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs), has been reported in many countries. These poisoning incidents have resulted in losses to local economies due to a negative impact on shellfish harvests. Currently, the mouse bioassay (MBA), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) are widely used to detect PSTs. Although these techniques have many advantages, high toxicity and the presence of many complex components and special structures makes the analysis of this group of compounds especially challenging. A rapid, simple, effective, and specific method needs to be designed. Biological methods, techniques for instrumental analysis, and biochemical tests for the detection of PSTs in shellfish, cyanobacteria, and contaminated water are summarized in this paper, and their advantages and disadvantages for particular applications are discussed. Future studies that will contribute to their improvement are also discussed.
