A European perspective on progress in moving away from the mouse bioassay for marine-toxin analysis

This review considers the ethical and technical problems currently associated with employing mouse bioassays for marine-toxin analysis and the challenges and the difficulties that alternative methods must overcome before being deemed applicable for implementation into a regulatory monitoring regime. We discuss proposed alternative methods, classified as functional, immunological and analytical, for well-established European toxins as well as emerging toxins in European waters, highlighting their advantages and disadvantages. We also consider emerging tools and technologies for future toxin analysis.Even though regulatory bodies have recently recommended analytical methods for a number of toxins, there is still scope for functional and immunological methods in rapid screening and detecting emerging toxins. Future developments foreseen in the analysis of marine biotoxins are multiplex-based analysis, miniaturization and portability for on-site testing. However, the longstanding lack of reference materials and standards continues to pose a severe limitation on progress in development, validation and therefore implementation of any alternative method based on the criteria stipulated by European Union legislation.