Detection of nodularin accumulation in organs of european eel Anguilla anguilla (Linnaeus, 1758) in Bafa Lake

Lake Bafa is a brackish water lake located on the southeast of Buyuk Menderes delta. In ancient times Lake Bafa was a part of Aegean Sea. For years alluvial deposit of Buyuk Menderes departed the lake 17 km away. The recent water analysis of the lake reveals the increasing levels of pollution and it causes algal blooms and fish deaths. In last decade algal blooms appeared in Spring and Autumn months. After studies on morphological and molecular analysis toxic Nodularia spumigena (Mertens ex Bornet & Flahault) was determined as the blooming cyanobacteria in the lake. The HPLC results also reveal the existance of nodularin toxin. The fish species in Lake Bafa are economically important for local fishermen, and those fish are one of the important food source for local people. With this project we searched if the the toxin accumulates in fish organs. For this reason we purchased A. anguilla from fisheries cooperative and analysed toxin excistence in different organs. Mothly samplings and toxin analysis showed no accumulation in organs.