Safe and Sustainable Shellfish: Introducing local testing and management solutions

浮游植物（藻类）在海洋生态系统中至关重要，决定着渔业生产力，但大约2%的海洋浮游植物物种会产生生物毒素，这些毒素会积聚在捕捞的贝类中，对人类健康构成威胁。收获贝类，包括贻贝，扇贝和牡蛎，是英国水产养殖业的重要组成部分，每年价值约4000万英镑，并支持3,000多个农村就业岗位。贝类是重要的蛋白质来源，在国内外均有市场。有很大的潜力来扩大这一行业，但是，收获可以停止，特别是在夏季，由于海洋中存在的有害藻类，可以积累在滤食性贝类。监测水和贝类生物毒素的存在有助于确定收获是否安全，据报道，关闭发生时，一个农场每年的成本超过16万英镑。该联盟汇集了三项新技术和世界一流的专业知识，以提供早期预警、近即时生物毒素检测和在有害藻类事件期间保护收获地点的系统。这是一个独特的机会，利用研究三个独立的发展最初由RCUK资助，允许他们的部署，通过贝类养殖户，政府监管机构和贸易协会的直接合作，专业利用。第一个令人兴奋的新技术是电子鼠标，之所以这么叫是因为虽然在一个小的（6x 12 x6厘米）电子仪器，我们的目标是检测所有组的受管制的生物毒素，包括其他生物毒素的潜力，可能会在未来的监管。不久前，消费者的安全是通过使用小鼠生物测定来确保的，现在已经被复杂的分析检测系统所取代。目前，需要大约1周的时间和多种方法才能获得结果，然而，电子鼠标将被开发，以提供一种可用于贝类收获现场的格式，并提供即时结果，支持有关贝类收获或保护的快速管理决策。一旦毒性已经累积，对其进行检测通常会限制管理选择，因此这项合作包括名为ShellEye的基于卫星的预警系统，该系统将有助于预测有害藻类事件，特别是它们相对于贝类收获区的位置。从卫星图像获得的数据将与浮游植物监测和浮游植物样本中的生物毒素检测相关联。然后，预警将用于决定何时使用第三种创新技术，即光催化窗帘。此外，在RCUK的另一个研究项目下，基于TiO 2的催化吊舱被专门设计用于促进发展中国家水库中生物毒素和藻类的处理。这里计划的工作将探索它们在海洋环境中使用的最佳配置，以保护捕捞地点，因此提出了反应幕的概念。使用这种技术的好处是没有化学物质被排放到水中，催化剂在照射时产生高能量，短寿命的羟基自由基，破坏有机分子，并可以对微生物起作用。该项目将通过开发生产所有必需的浮游植物，生物毒素和参考材料的能力来支持，以在开发和现场使用期间充分验证电子鼠标，同时还支持光催化优化。该项目的最终成果将是制定一项综合管理战略，来自行业、监管机构和学术界的所有合作伙伴将为贝类捕捞区的实际接近实时监测和保护做出贡献。这将反过来限制捕捞损失，并确保支持水产养殖业扩张的信心。

Phytoplankton (algae) are essential in marine ecosystems determining fisheries productivity however around 2% of marine phytoplankton species produce biotoxins that can accumulate in harvested shellfish, posing a threat to human health. Harvesting of shellfish, including mussels, scallops and oysters, is an important part of the UK aquaculture industry worth around £40 million per annum and supporting over 3,000 rural jobs. The harvested shellfish are an important source of protein with markets at home and abroad. There is significant potential to expand this industry, however, harvesting can be halted, particularly in the summer months, due to the presence of harmful algae in the sea which can accumulate in the filter feeding shellfish. Monitoring of water and shellfish for the presence of biotoxins helps determine if it is safe to harvest, and where closure occurs it has been reported to cost a single farm in excess of £160,000 per annum. This consortium brings together three new technologies and world class expertise to provide an early warning, near instant biotoxin detection and a system to protect harvesting sites during harmful algal events. This is a unique opportunity to exploit research three separate developments initially funded by RCUK, allowing their deployment to be expertly utilised through the direct collaboration of shellfish farmer, government regulators and trade associations. The first of the exciting new technologies is the e-mice, so called because although in a single small (6x12x6 cm) electronic instrument we aim to detect all groups of regulated biotoxins with the potential to include other biotoxins which may be regulated in the future. Not so long ago consumer safety was ensured by the use of a mouse bioassay, this has now been replaced by sophisticated analytical detection systems. Currently it takes around 1-week and multiple methods to obtain results however, the e-mice will be developed to provide a format that can be used at a shellfish harvesting site and give instant results supporting rapid management decisions regarding harvesting or protection of the shellfish grounds. Detecting toxicity once it has already accumulated can often limit the management options therefore this collaboration includes the satellite-based early warning system called ShellEye which will help predict harmful algae events and particularly their location with respects to shellfish harvesting areas. Data obtained from satellite imagery will be correlated with phytoplankton monitoring and biotoxin detection in phytoplankton samples. Early warning will then be used to make decisions on when to use the third of the innovative technologies which is the photocatalytic curtain. Also, pioneered under a different RCUK research project, the TiO2-based catalytic pods have specifically been designed to facilitate the treatment of biotoxins and algae in reservoirs in developing countries. The work planned here will explore their optimum configuration for use in a marine environment in a way that will protect harvesting sites, hence the concept of the reactive curtain. The benefits of using this technology is that no chemicals are discharged into the water, the catalyst when illuminated produces high energy, short life hydroxyl radicals which destroy organic molecules and can be active against microorganisms. The project will be underpinned by developing the capacity to produce all the required, phytoplankton, biotoxins and reference material to fully validate the e-mice during development and field use while also supporting photocatalytic optimisation. The culmination of the project will be the development of an integrated management strategy where all partners from industry, the regulators and academics will contribute to a practical close to real-time monitoring and protection of shellfish harvesting areas. This will in turn limit harvesting loses and ensure confidence to support expansion of this aquaculture industry.