Depuration of domoic acid from live blue mussels (Mytilus edulis )

Industrial depuration may provide a means of removing domoic acid toxin from blue mussels (Mytilus edulis ). Mussels containing up to 50 mu g domoic acid/g were transported from a Prince Edward Island estuary into controlled laboratory conditions to test the effects of temperature, salinity, mussel size, and feeding upon depuration. Fifty percent of toxin was eliminated within 24 h. After 72 h, mussels were either clean or contained, on average, only residual levels of toxin (< 5 mu g multiplied by g super(-1)), regardless of conditions. Because of their relatively large digestive glands, meats of small mussels contained more toxin per unit weight than meats of large mussels. The bulk of domoic acid appeared to reside in the gut lumen. The presence of small amounts of domoic acid in intracellular compartments cannot be ruled out.