Inhibition enzymic biosensors:: an alternative to global toxicity bioassays for the rapid determination of phycotoxins

The use of biosensor-based analytical methods, and specifically of techniques based on 'inhibition' mono- and bi-enzymic amperometric electrodes, is gaining growing interest in the field of toxicity tests in food matrices. This paper proposes the use of a particular class of enzymic bioelectrodes for the rapid determination of algal toxins in seafood. These new methods should at least integrate, but hopefully substitute, the commonly applied 'global toxicity tests', i.e, bioassays with mammals (mice or rats), which are, at present, the only internationally recognized methods for the screening of algal toxins in seafood. Preliminary data are obtained on mussels naturally and/or artificially contaminated by toxins of the diarrheic shellfish poisoning (DSP) class.