First Report of Pinnatoxins in Bivalve Molluscs from Inhaca Island (South of Mozambique)—South of the Indian Ocean

Abstract

The objective of this work was to screen the EU-regulated lipophilic and cyclic imine toxins in four bivalve species (Atrina vexillum, Pinctada imbricata, Anadara antiquata, and Saccostrea Cucculata) from the Mozambican coast in the Indian Ocean. Toxins were extracted and analyzed according to the EU reference method for the determination of lipophilic toxins in shellfish via LC–MS/MS, but no regulated toxins were found in the analyzed species. However, pinnatoxins (PnTX G, E, and F) were detected in A. vexillum, P. imbricata, and A. antiquata. Higher levels of the PnTX G were determined for A. vexillum (7.7 and 14.3 µg·kg−1) than for P. imbricata (1.6 and 2.4 µg·kg−1), and for A. antiquata (4.5 and 5.9 µg·kg−1) with both hydrolyzed and non-hydrolyzed extracts, respectively. The higher levels of PnTX G determined in the hydrolyzed extracts indicate the high potential of this species to esterify pinnatoxins, in particular PnTX G.