Environmental regulation of toxin production : comparison of hemolytic activity of Amphidinium carterae and Amphidinium klebsii
- UNCW Author/Contributor (non-UNCW co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Leigh A. Zimmerman (Creator)
- Institution
- The University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW )
- Web Site: http://library.uncw.edu/
- Advisor
- Carmelo Tomas
Abstract: Many phytoplankton blooms consist of dinoflagellates or diatoms that produce toxins, physical irritants, or noxious effects. While most shellfish that bioaccumulate HAB toxins are not always severely affected, many finfish have adverse reactions to the presence of toxins, particularly neurotoxins, in the water. This can result in massive fish kills. As more becomes known about blooms related to human health, it appears that most algae producing toxins affecting humans also produce ichthyotoxic compounds. Amphidinium carterae and Amphidinium klebsii, dinoflagellates, have been implicated in fish kills and red tide events and produce compounds known to be hemolytic and antifungal in nature. The aim of this study was to determine what role environmental factors play in the toxicity of two species of dinoflagellates, A. carterae and A. klebsii. Four environmental factors were considered: nutrient availability, salinity, temperature, and light. Potential toxicity was quantified by measuring the hemolytic activity of these two species grown under different environmental conditions. Growth for both species was highest at the higher salinities, temperatures, and light intensities measured, indicative of the tropical origin of the clones, while nutrient availability did not affect growth. For most methods of normalization, A. carterae proved to have more toxic activity than A. klebsii. Nutrient availability did affect the toxin production of the species, as did the light, salinity and temperature regimes.
Environmental regulation of toxin production : comparison of hemolytic activity of Amphidinium carterae and Amphidinium klebsii
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Created on 1/1/2009
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Thesis
- A Thesis Submitted to the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Masters of Science
- Language: English
- Date: 2009
- Keywords
- Marine toxins--Analysis, Toxic algae--Toxicology
- Subjects
- Marine toxins -- Analysis
- Toxic algae -- Toxicology