Fate of paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins in purple clam Hiatula rostrata, in outdoor culture and laboratory culture

Purple clams (Hiatula rostrata Lighttoot) accumulate paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxins produced by a toxic strain of the dinoflagellate Alexandrium minutum Halim. The results confirm the data of our previous study concerning the muscle and siphon that were not showing a gradual rise in toxicity when shellfish accumulated more A. minutum. However, muscle and siphon are intermittently toxic both in exposure and depuration period in laboratory cultured purple clams. PSP toxins were detected in outdoor cultured purple clams, whereas no A. minutum were found in the culture pond during most of the survey time. The outdoor cultured purple clams need longer time to decrease toxicity to allowable levels than laboratory cultured purple clams. It was shown that laboratory data may not predict times over which pond-cultured purple clams may prove toxic to consumers.