The occurrence of marine and freshwater toxins is a rapidly evolving problem due to ever-changing circumstances. Expanding international commerce is forcing cargo ships into virgin territory, deforestation and pollution violate the natural ecological balance, and a changing climate holds unknown potential to alter current factors and trigger toxic blooms in new forms, at new rates, and in new places. Fortunately, with notable advances in analysis technology, the body of knowledge in the field is equally dynamic. In just six years since the first edition, toxins that warranted only line listings, including pfiestra, gambierol, and polycavernoside, are now worthy of entire chapters, requiring a new edition to encompass the expanding scope of the field. Gathering contributions from international experts, the book provides an overview of the current state-of-knowledge from several perspectives. Incorporating toxicology, chemistry, ecology, and economics, the book covers the biological aspects of the bloom and the effects and actions of each toxin with emphasis on human response. A entire section is devoted to paralytic shellfish poisoning with chapters on Metablism, Chemical analysis and pharmacology, toxicology and biological detection methods. This edition includes much detailed information on detection and analysis, toxicological information on previously little known toxins, and food safety issues. • Begins with general information on risk assessment and analytical techniques • Cover several categories of toxins by function and biomechanism • Considers potential pharmacological applications and the use of toxins as precursors to therapeutic drugs • Highlights the legal and economic perspectives of toxic incidence in industrial activity and international regulation and monitoring programs • Describes new toxins by their individual chemical structure, ecobiology, metabolism, detection methods, determination, pharmacology, and toxicology
