Risk Assessment of Marine Toxins

3 Risk Assessments of Marine Biotoxins in Bivalve Mollusks.4 

6 Brief Description of Groups of Shellfish Toxins without Proven 

Risk assessment is usually divided into four steps hazard identification, hazard characterization, exposure assessment, and, finally, risk characterization [1]. In hazard identification, agents capable of exerting negative health effects are identified. Often, the first indications of toxic potential of a compound or mixture are derived from epidemiological studies. The advantage of epidemiological studies is that extrapolation from experimental animal studies is unnecessary. On the other hand, indications from epidemiological studies show that unwanted exposure has already taken place. For marine biotoxins in bivalve mollusks, all known syndromes have been detected as a result of 

Hazard characterization consists of qualitative or quantitative evaluation of the adverse health effects associated with different agents, whether they are chemicals or microorganisms. This step comprises several elements, like toxicokinetics (absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of the toxic agent), mechanism of toxic action, dose-response relationships, target organs and different end points, like acute or chronic toxicity, teratogenicity, neoplastic manifestations, and so forth. 

Risk characterization is the final step in the risk assessment process. It comprises quantitative or semiquantitative estimations, including uncertainties, of the probability of adverse health effects in people associated with exposure to the toxic agents. Risk characterization is based on the information gathered through the first three steps in the risk assessment procedure. It is important that the weight of evidence leading to the conclusions be openly discussed. Risk characterization should include a description of the primary causes of uncertainties. 

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Since the year 2000, several international expert groups have undertaken risk assessments of marine algal toxins in bivalve mollusks. In 2001, a Working Group (WG) on Toxicology of diarrheic sheUflsh... 

In 2005, the EU Commission and the Community Reference Laboratory on Marine Biotoxins appointed another Working Group on Toxicology to give further advice on risk assessment of lipophilic marine algal toxins in bivalves [4]. 

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