Variations in the PSP contents of shellfish in Hong Kong and the eastern coast of South China Sea

Results of a monitoring program revealed chat there was a steady level of p aralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxins in the marketed shellfish samples in Hong Kong and the eastern coast of South China Sea. The PSP contents va ried from 300 mu/kg to 2,500 mu/kg. According to high-power liquid chromato graphy (HPLC) analyses, the major toxins included: CTXs, STX1, STX2, GTX(2) ,, GTX(3), and GTX(4). By means of similarity analysis it was discovered th at the PSP toxins in shellfishes collected from Macau, Hong Kong, and Mirs Bay were of the highest similarity. The toxins in shellfish samples that we re collected from Daya Bay and the eastern coast of South China formed anot her similarity group. Results of the present study suggested that PSP causa tive phytoplanktons and the PSP-contaminated shellfish sold in Hong Kong ma rkets were mainly imported from the eastern coast of South China Sea.