Oceans and Human Health

The marine environment has long been linked to the promotion of human health. The food and air quality, as well as the recreational possibilities oceans and coastal areas offer, are seen as main contributing factors. More and more epidemiological research points in the direction of beneficial effects related with living and taking recreation in blue environments. At the same time, these aquatic systems are under pressure by global change, the introduction of invasive species, chemical pollution and eutrophication. The recent increase of harmful algal blooms (HABs), possibly causing human intoxications with phycotoxins, is believed to be a consequence of these anthropogenic disturbances. Biogenic compounds and microbiota originating from the marine environment affect coastal populations through the consumption of (shell)fish and the inhalation of sea spray aerosols. Through research on these exposure pathways and the effects of these compounds and microbiota, GhEnToxLab wants to close the considerable knowledge gap that exists in the link between oceans and human health.

Current researchers
Emmanuel Van Acker, Zixia Liu

Past researchers
Gert Everaert, Maarten De Rijcke, Gabriel Orellana Mancilla

PhD theses
Orellana Mancilla, G. (2016). Metabolisation and transfer of marine toxins from algae to molluscs. Ghent University. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Merelbeke, Belgium.

Recent publications
Orellana Mancilla, G. et al. (2014). Validation of a confirmatory method for lipophilic marine toxins in shellfish using UHPLC-HR-Orbitrap MS. ANALYTICAL AND BIOANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, 406(22), 5303–5312.

Orellana Mancilla, G. et al. (2015). Quantification and profiling of lipophilic marine toxins in microalgae by UHPLC coupled to high-resolution orbitrap mass spectrometry. (A. Laganà, Ed.)ANALYTICAL AND BIOANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, 407(21), 6345–6356.

De Rijcke, M. et al. (2016). Toxic dinoflagellates and Vibrio spp. act independently in bivalve larvae. FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY, 57, 236–242.