Search for toxigenic phytoplankton and associated phycotoxins in the channels of central Patagonia
The aim of my secondment to the Universidad de Los Lagos (ULL) was to investigate the occurrence of toxic phytoplankton in the inner channels of central Patagonia in order to contribute to task 4.3 of CoastCarb, which is the inventory of harmful algal blooms (HAB) species and their associated phycotoxins.
I worked together with Dr. Patricio Díaz (planktology) and Dr. Iván Pérez-Santos (oceanology) together with students of ULL, Bárbara Cantarero and Carolina Miranda.
The inner channels of central Patagonia (Jacaf and Moraleda Channels, and Puyuhuapi Fjord) are located in a difficult to access und hardly populated area without any scientific infrastructure. Thus, sampling was performed with a small fisher boat and all scientific equipment that had been brought by us from ULL were employed manually during long working days at sea, which was compensated by a breathtaking landscape. Back in the lab of ULL in Puerto Montt, samples were analyzed for planktonic species abundance and species determination and toxin samples were processed for shipment for toxin measurements by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry at AWI.
In addition, I worked with Dr. Daniel Varela at ULL on a review article summarizing the knowledge on known HAB species and toxins in the aera with emphasis on new, emerging toxins and species.
