Production of diarrhetic shellfish poisoning toxins and pectenotoxins at depths within and below the euphotic zone

During a 10 day survey in the CelticSea near the Irish South-West coast (July 2007), Dinophysis acuta was observed in large numbers. The deployment of a profiler allowed for the identification of a D. acuta thin layer that reached 1910 cells/L. The aim of the study was to investigate if the bloom that occurred in low light environment was viable, dividing, actively producing toxins and if the toxin profile changed over a short term period. Several large concentrates of phytoplankton samples were obtained over a 14 h period, from evening to morning, by pumping Dinophysis from specific depths. In addition, D. acuta was collected in complete darkness at 81 m depth by concentrating 120 L of water. The cells were extracted and their toxin profiles were established by liquid chromatography – mass spectrometry (LC–MS). Passive samplers were deployed in a nearby location for 6 days at 30, 50, 70 and 110 m depth, and the toxin profiles were determined by LC–MS as above. The toxin profiles obtained in phytoplankton samples and in the SPATT were compared and correlated well. Sample concentrates and SPATT results suggested that toxic D. acuta occurred and produced similar toxin profiles at all water depths, including below the euphotic zone.