Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP), caused by saxitoxin (STX) and related toxins from harmful algal blooms (HABs), poses a severe public health risk, leading to paralysis, respiratory failure, and even death when contaminated shellfish are consumed. With the increasing frequency of HABs driven by climate change, there is a growing need for portable, efficient detection methods. Traditional PSP toxin detection relies on costly, time-consuming laboratory techniques like high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and mouse bioassays (MBA), which are unsuitable for field use. To address this gap, Sensoreal developed PSP Alert, a rapid, on-site lateral flow assay (LFA) designed to detect PSP toxins directly in shellfish.
Compared to traditional detection methods, PSP Alert offers the following advantages. It is a portable and user-friendly tool that requires minimal training to operate, making it accessible to aquaculture farmers, shellfish growers, and researchers. The patent-pending conversion step in the sample preparation process, PSP Alert supports the detection of 12 common PSP toxins. Test results are available within 30 minutes of sample preparation, allowing for quick decision-making in the field. In addition to providing qualitative results, PSP Alert includes semi-quantitative capabilities, categorizing toxin levels as low, medium, or high. The device also features Bluetooth connectivity, enabling easy data storage and transfer for streamlined record-keeping.
Initial testing of PSP Alert on four shellfish species demonstrated a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 84%, outperforming several commercial alternatives. The device exhibited a false positive rate of 11.7% (Table 1) and a Kappa coefficient of 0.743, indicating a strong agreement between expected and observed outcomes. As Sensoreal continues to refine PSP Alert, the tool represents a promising, cost-effective solution for rapid, on-site detection of PSP toxins, reducing the need for expensive laboratory testing and improving public health protection.