First Detection of Algal Caribbean Ciguatoxin in Amberjack Causing Ciguatera Poisoning in the Canary Islands (Spain)

Abstract

Ciguatera Poisoning (CP) is an illness associated with the consumption of fish contaminated with potent natural toxins found in the marine environment, commonly known as ciguatoxins (CTXs). The risk characterization of CP has become a worldwide concern due to the widespread expansion of these natural toxins. The identification of CTXs is hindered by the lack of commercially available reference materials. This limitation impedes progress in developing analytical tools and conducting toxicological studies essential for establishing regulatory levels for control. This study focuses on characterizing the CTX profile of an amberjack responsible for a recent CP case in the Canary Islands (Spain), located on the east Atlantic coast. The exceptional sensitivity offered by Capillary Liquid Chromatography coupled with High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (cLC-HRMS) enabled the detection, for the first time in fish contaminated in the Canary Islands, of traces of an algal ciguatoxin recently identified in G. silvae and G. caribeaus from the Caribbean Sea. This algal toxin was structurally characterized by cLC-HRMS being initially identified as C-CTX5. The total toxin concentration of CTXs was eight times higher than the guidance level proposed by the Food and Drug Administration (0.1 ng C-CTX1/g fish tissue), with C-CTX1 and 17-hydroxy-C-CTX1 as major CTXs.