Influence of environmental factors on the toxin production of Ostreopsis cf. ovata during bloom events. Issue 1 (15th October 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Accoroni, Stefano; Tartaglione, Luciana; Dello Iacovo, Emma; Pichierri, Salvatore; Marini, Mauro; Campanelli, Alessandra; Dell'Aversano, Carmela; Totti, Cecilia
• Is Part Of: Marine pollution bulletin. Volume 123:Issue 1/2(2017)
• Page Start: 261
• Page End: 268
• Publication Date: 2017-10-15
• Subjects: Harmful algae -- Toxicity -- Palytoxin -- Ovatoxins -- Temperature -- Nutrients; Marine pollution -- Periodicals; Marine Biology -- Periodicals; Water Pollution -- Periodicals; Mer -- Pollution -- Périodiques; Publications périodiques; Pollution des mers; Lutte antipollution; Electronic journals; 363.7394
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.08.049
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0025-326X

Abstract

Abstract: Intense blooms of the toxic dinoflagellate Ostreopsis have been a recurrent phenomenon along several Mediterranean coasts. Blooms have been associated with noxious effects on human health and mortality of marine organisms, due to the production of palytoxin-like compounds. We analyzed the toxin concentrations throughout an O. cf. ovata bloom to highlight their relationships with environmental parameters in the Conero Riviera, northern Adriatic Sea. High temperature and balanced nutrient conditions were the optimal environmental conditions to start and sustain blooms as well as to maximize toxin production. Ostreopsis showed a gradual decrease of toxin content throughout the bloom ascribed to the occurring of the same non-optimal conditions that led to the bloom decline. Moreover, our results suggest that toxin fraction released during bloom could be higher than that released in batch culture. Results from this study pointed out that the first bloom phase is potentially the most dangerous to human health. Graphical abstract: Highlights: Temperature and nutrients affect toxin production of Ostreopsis during the bloom. Bloom-onset conditions are the same maximizing the toxin production. The occurring of non-optimal conditions led to the decline of abundances and toxicity. The first phase of bloom is potentially the most dangerous to human health.