scholarly journals Tetrodotoxins Occurrence in Non-Traditional Vectors of the North Atlantic Waters (Portuguese Maritime Territory, and Morocco Coast)

Toxins ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 306 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marisa Silva ◽  
Inés Rodríguez ◽  
Aldo Barreiro ◽  
Manfred Kaufmann ◽  
Ana Isabel Neto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mass Spectrometry ◽  
High Performance ◽  
High Resolution Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Feeding Habits ◽  
Human Health Risk ◽  
The North ◽  
Limit Value ◽  
Continental Coast ◽  
Moroccan Coast ◽  
Puffer Fish

Tetrodotoxin (TTX) is a potent alkaloid typically from tropical ecosystems, but in the last decade its presence has been more pronounced in the temperate waters of the Atlantic. In its last scientific opinion, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) stressed the need for data regarding TTX prevalence in European waters. To address EFSA’s concerns, benthic organisms such as mollusks, crustaceans, echinoderms and fish with different feeding habits were collected along the Portuguese continental coast, islands (São Miguel, Azores, and Madeira) and the northwestern Moroccan coast. A total of 165 samples were analyzed by ultra high performance liquid chromatography high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS) and ultra high performance chromatography mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). Geographical tendencies were detected as follows, by descending order: S. Miguel Island (Azores), Moroccan coast, Madeira Island and Portuguese continental coast. The toxin amounts detected were significant, above the Dutch limit value established in 2017, showing the importance and the need for continuity of these studies to gain more knowledge about the prevalence of these toxins, unraveling new vectors, in order to better assess human health risk. This work represents a general overview of new TTX bearers (7) most of them in gastropods (Patella depressa, Nucella lapillus, Onchidella celtica and Aplysia depilans), followed by echinoderms (Echinus esculentus and Ophidiaster ophidianus) and puffer fish Sphoeroides marmoratus.

scholarly journals Comparative Research of Chemical Profiling in Different Parts of Fissistigma oldhamii by Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Hybrid Quadrupole-Orbitrap Mass Spectrometry

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 960
Author(s):  
Haibo Hu ◽  
Yau Lee-Fong ◽  
Jinnian Peng ◽  
Bin Hu ◽  
Jialin Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mass Spectrometry ◽  
High Performance Liquid Chromatography ◽  
Liquid Chromatography ◽  
High Performance ◽  
High Resolution Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Scientific Development ◽  
Multivariate Statistical ◽  
Accurate Identification ◽  
Orbitrap Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Q Exactive

The roots of Fissistigma oldhamii (FO) are widely used as medicine with the effect of dispelling wind and dampness, promoting blood circulation and relieving pains, and its fruits are considered delicious. However, Hakka people always utilize its above-ground parts as a famous folk medicine, Xiangteng, with significant differences from literatures. Studies of chemical composition showed there were multiple aristolactams that possessed high nephrotoxicity, pending evaluation research about their distribution in FO. In this study, a sensitive, selective, rapid and reliable method was established to comparatively perform qualitative and semi-quantitative analysis of the constituents in roots, stems, leaves, fruits and insect galls, using an Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with Hybrid Quadrupole Orbitrap Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap MS, or Q-Exactive for short). To make more accurate identification and comparison of FO chemicals, all MS data were aligned and screened by XCMS, then their structures were elucidated according to MSn ion fragments between the detected and standards, published ones or these generated by MS fragmenter. A total of 79 compounds were identified, including 33 alkaloids, 29 flavonoids, 11 phenylpropanoids, etc. There were 54 common components in all five parts, while another 25 components were just detected in some parts. Six toxic aristolactams were detected in this experiment, including aristolactam AII, AIIIa, BII, BIII, FI and FII, of which the relative contents in above-ground stems were much higher than roots. Meanwhile, multivariate statistical analysis was performed and showed significant differences both in type and content of the ingredients within all FO parts. The results implied that above-ground FO parts should be carefully valued for oral administration and eating fruits. This study demonstrated that the high-resolution mass spectrometry coupled with multivariate statistical methods was a powerful tool in compound analysis of complicated herbal extracts, and the results provide the basis for its further application, scientific development of quality standard and utilization.

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