Morten Sandvik

• PhD
• Senior Researcher at Norwegian Veterinary Institute

22 This study aimed at identifying the presence of harmful cyanobacteria species Moorea 23 producens, detecting potential harmful algae toxins and their distribution in three seasons: 24 December to February (hot dry season), March to May (rain season), and June to November 25 (cool dry season) of 2016. The samples were collected in five study site...

In order to ensure the proper use and interpretation of results from laboratory test systems, it is important to know the characteristics of your test system. Here we compare mitochondria and the handling of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in two gill epithelial cell lines, the well-known RTgill-W1 cell line from Rainbow trout and the newly establish...

Background Alpha-chloralose (AC) is a compound known to be toxic to various animal species and humans. In 2018 and 2019 an increase in suspected cases of AC poisoning in cats related to the use of AC as a rodenticide was reported to national veterinary and chemical authorities in Finland, Norway and Sweden by veterinarians working in clinical pract...

The presence of azaspiracids (AZAs) in shellfish may cause food poisoning in humans. AZAs can accumulate in shellfish filtering seawater that contains marine dinoflagellates such as Azadinium and Amphidoma spp. More than 60 AZA analogues have been identified, of which AZA1, AZA2 and AZA3 are regulated in Europe. Shellfish matrices may complicate qua...

The presence of azaspiracids (AZAs) in shellfish may cause food poisoning in humans. AZAs can accumulate in shellfish filtering seawater that contains marine dinoflagellates such as Azadinium and Amphidoma spp. More than 60 AZA analogues have been identified, of which AZA1, AZA2 and AZA3 are regulated in Europe. Shellfish matrices may complicate qua...

The Fusarium mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) and its modified forms are present in most samples of grain and grain-based products. Due to the widespread presence of DON in these highly consumed food commodities, nearly all individuals are exposed to DON. Previous estimates of the dietary DON intake in Norway indicated that children’s dietary intake...

Azaspiracids (AZAs) are a group of biotoxins produced by the marine dinoflagellates Azadinium and Amphidoma spp. that can accumulate in shellfish and cause food poisoning in humans. Of the 60 AZAs identified, levels of AZA1, AZA2, and AZA3 are regulated in shellfish as a food safety measure based on occurrence and toxicity. Information about the me...

Two high-mass polar compounds were observed in aqueous side-fractions from the purification of okadaic acid (1) and dinophysistoxin-2 (2) from Dinophysis blooms in Spain and Norway. These were isolated and shown to be 24-O-β-d-glucosides of 1 and 2 (4 and 5, respectively) by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and enzy...

Exposure of wildlife and domestic animals to anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) is a worldwide concern, but few methods exist to determine residue levels in live animals. Traditional liver detection methods preclude determining exposure in live wildlife. To determine the value of assessing AR exposure by fecal analysis, we compared fecal and liver re...

This study focused on identifying the rotenoids from the Tephrosia vogelli plant (fish-poison-bean), investigating the toxic potency of a crude T. vogelii extract and individual rotenoids (tephrosin, deguelin and rotenone) in vitro and in vivo and assessing the mode of action. A trout (Onychorynhis mykiss) gill epithelial cell line (RTgill-W1) was...

We have investigated the in vitro metabolism of pectenotoxin-2 (PTX-2) using primary hepatocytes from Wistar rats in suspension. Purified PTX-2 was rapidly metabolized. Two major and several minor oxidized PTX-2 metabolites were formed, none of which had retention times corresponding to PTX-1, -11, or −13. Hydrolysis products, such as PTX-2 seco ac...

Rapport om funn av antikoagulerende rodenticider (muse- og rottegifter) i lever fra ulv, gaupe, jerv, rødrev, fjellrev og villmink innsamlet i Norge i perioden 1997-2017

Microcystins (MCs) are toxic cyclic peptides produced by cyanobacteria worldwide. Due to their hepatotoxicity, it is important to have cheap, rapid and reliable methods for analysis available to protect livestock and people from acute or chronic exposure. A multihapten approach was used to raise new polyclonal antibodies, with the aim of developing...

Immunoaffinity columns are widely used in sample preparation for the analysis of mycotoxins. However, despite the availability of antibodies with broad specificity to many families of algal toxins, little use has been made of these antibodies in immunoaffinity columns. We have developed immunoaffinity columns using antibodies originally produced fo...

Microcystins (MCs) are a group of hepatotoxic heptapeptides that inhibit protein phosphatases, and are produced by many species of cyanobacteria. Most MCs contain the unusual β-amino acid “Adda5 ”, γ-linked D-Glu6, and N-methyldehydroalanine (Mdha 7) at positions 5–7, with more than 250 different microcystin congeners having been reported in the li...

A fast, accurate and simple method using liquid chromatography (LC) with UV detection was used for the on-site determination of the piscicide rotenone in water during fish control treatments. Sample volumes of 10 to 40 µL were loaded onto a Waters XBridge™ C18 2.5 µm 3.0 x100 mm analytical column using a mobile phase of water-acetonitrile (45:55) a...

Cyclic imines constitute a quite recently discovered group of marine biotoxins that act on neural receptors and that bioaccumulate in seafood. They are grouped together due to the imino group functioning as their common pharmacore, responsible for acute neurotoxicity in mice. Cyclic imines (CIs) have not been linked yet to human poisoning and are n...

The aim was to study the in vitro metabolism of selected algal toxins using enzyme reparations from blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) and Wistar rats.

Brown crabs (Cancer Pagurus) were held in tanks and dosed with toxin-free blue mussel homogenate spiked with either pure azaspiracid-1 (AZA1) in 2013 or the cyclic imine pinnatoxin G (PnTxG) in 2014. The crabs were humanely sacrificed periodically up to two weeks after dosing, dissected, and analysed for toxins and metabolites by LC-HRMS. A selecti...

Hubro er vår største ugle og var fram til slutten av 1800-tallet en vanlig hekkefugl i landet. Jakt resulterte i at arten gikk kraftig tilbake og tilbakegangen har fortsatt selv om arten ble fredet i 1971. I dag er hovedutbredelsen langs kysten fra Vest-Agder til Nordland og det siste estimatet ligger på 450-680 par i hele landet. I handlingsplanen...

Glutathione (GSH) conjugates of the mycotoxin 4-deoxynivalenol (DON), 1, have been detected in plants by LC-MS, but their identities were not confirmed due to a lack of standards. We have synthesized DON-GSH conjugates in alkaline solution. The major products 2 and 5 were isolated and their structures determined by mass spectrometry and NMR spectro...

Microcystins are potent cyclic heptapeptide toxins found in many freshwater cyanobacteria. Most microcystins contain an α,β-unsaturated amide that can react with thiol-containing amino acids, peptides and proteins in vivo and in vitro. Whilst soluble conjugates formed from small peptides can be extracted and analyzed directly by LC-MS, microcystins...

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is one of the most commonly occurring trichothecenes, produced mainly by Fusarium graminearum. The project aimed to provide data on levels of total DON and de-epoxy deoxynivalenol (DOM-1) in human urine samples collected from different population groups (children, adolescents, adults, elderly, vegetarians, pregnant women) in It...

In Tanzania fish is one of the most important protein sources for the rapidly increasing population. Wild fish is threatened by overfishing and pollution from agriculture, industries, mining, household effluents and vector control. To monitor possible implications for public health, the geographical differences of the occurrence and levels of persi...

The South African Hartbeespoort Dam is known for the occurrence of heavy Microcystis blooms. Although a few other cyanobacterial genera have been described, no detailed study on those cyanobacteria and their potential toxin production has been conducted. The diversity of cyanobacterial species and toxins is most probably underestimated. To ascertai...

Microcystins are cyclic heptapeptides from cyanobacteria which are responsible for poisonings of livestock and humans. Cyanobacteria also produce a range of peptides and other compounds that can result in complex chromatograms when samples are analyzed by LC-MS. Thiol derivatization of the α,β-unsaturated amide present in most microcystins was rece...

Kinetic studies showed that [Asp3, Dhb7]MC-RR reacted with mercaptoethanol hundreds of times more slowly than MC-RR and a range of other [Mdha7]-containing microcystin congeners. The difference in reaction rate was sufficiently large that derivatization of microcystin-containing samples with mercaptoethanol, followed by LC-MS analysis, clearly disc...

Microcystins are a group of cyclic heptapeptides originating from cyanobacteria. Cyanobacteria also produce a range of peptides and other compounds that can result in complex chromatograms when samples are analyzed by LC-MS. Derivatization with appropriate thiols (e.g., mercaptoethanol) of the olefin in the α,β-unsaturated amide present in most mic...

Many countries have started to monitor cyanobacterial cell densities and microcystin concentrations in raw water sources and recreational water due to human and animal poisonings and the results of toxicological studies, which have shown the adverse effects of microcystins to some mammals. Mozambique has no reports of intoxications or deaths of ani...

Mozambique is a developing country with a wide range of aquatic ecosystems. Given the limited resources of the country, problems of aquatic pollution have not received the required consideration. The aim of the present study was to assess the presence of microcystins (MCs) and identify the genotypes of MC-producing cyanobacteria in Mozambique. Poly...

Frequent mortality of Lesser Flamingo (Phoeniconaias minor) in East African alkaline saline lakes is a tragedy to the conservation of this nearly threatened species of birds. The objective of this study was to investigate the cause of Lesser Flamingo mortality in Lake Manyara during August 2008 and to determine if microcystins were involved. Pathol...

This study was conducted to assess farming practices, agrochemical usage and environmental pollution in Manyara basin, Tanzania. Field surveys, interviews, questionnaires and Lake Manyara nutrient analysis were used in data collection. The highest number (95%) of households grew crops, namely, maize, rice, banana and vegetables with median farm siz...

Understanding local people’s socio-economic values of wetlands and traditional mechanisms of managing natural resources forms the basis of conserving them.Wetlands have frequently been developed for short-term economic gains that destroy their ecological values and environmental services in the long term. A study was carried out to assess socio-eco...

Understanding local people's socio-economic values of wetlands and traditional mechanisms of managing natural resources forms the basis of conserving them. Wetlands have frequently been developed for short-term economic gains that destroy their ecological values and environmental services in the long term. A study was carried out to assess socio-ec...

The objective of this study was to investigate the response of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities in Clarias gariepinus in response to Organophosphates (Ops) and carbamate exposure. The AChE activities were determined in plasma, and eye and brain homogenates of unexposed and exposed fish using Ellman's method and 5,5'-dithiobis-2-nitrobenzoic a...

The interactive effects of mixed pollutants in sewage wastewater on biomarker responses were investigated using wild male African sharptooth catfish (Clarias gariepinus) in Morogoro, Tanzania. A total of 58 fish were used, of which 21 were from Mindu dam (reference site) and 22, 9 and 10 from Mafisa, Mazimbu and Mzumbe sewage ponds, respectively. L...

Heavy metals and organochlorine residues were determined in water, sediment, fish muscle, and freshwater shrimps from aquatic environments in urban and peri-urban areas in Morogoro, Tanzania. Most of the water samples had heavy metal concentrations below WHO acceptable water quality guidelines. All sediment samples had comparable heavy metal concen...

Passive sampling disks were developed based on the method of MacKenzie, L, Beuzenberg, V., Holland, P., McNabb, P., Selwood, A. [2004. Solid phase adsorption toxin tracking (SPATT): a new monitoring tool that simulates the biotoxin contamination of filter feeding bivalves. Toxicon 44, 901-918] and protocols were formulated for recovering toxins fro...

This paper presents the results from an experiment, where uptake and elimination of diarrhetic shellfish toxins (DST) of the okadaic acid (OA) and pectenotoxin (PTX) groups were compared between blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) and European oysters (Ostrea edulis). Caged mussels and oysters were suspended in the water column and exposed to a dense blo...

Vitellogenin (Vtg) induction in African sharptooth catfish (Clarias gariepinus) was assessed in order to develop a method for monitoring estrogenic pollution in African freshwater systems. Clarias gariepinus Vtg (Cg-Vtg) was purified from serum obtained from 17alpha-ethynylestradiol (EE2)-exposed fish and polyclonal antibodies against Cg-Vtg were r...

In 2002, two outbreaks of diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP) occurred in Norway, which was later confirmed to be caused by the consumption of brown crab (Cancer pagurus) contaminated predominantly by esters of okadaic acid (OA) after feeding on toxic blue mussels (Mytilus edulis). In addition to OA-group toxins, pectenotoxins (PTXs) are commonly...

Bivalve molluscs accumulate toxins of the okadaic acid (OA) and pectenotoxin (PTX) groups, which are frequently found in Dinophysis spp. Transformation of the OA-group toxins into fatty acid ester derivatives (often designated "DTX3") is common in many bivalve species but the degree to which these toxins are transformed vary between species, and is...

Many persistent organic pollutants are known to have endocrine-disrupting effects in several aquatic and terrestrial species. In this regard, hydroxylated metabolites of polychlorinated biphenyls (OH-PCBs) represent serious health and environmental concern because they are shown to act agonistic or antagonistic at hormone receptors (HRs) or to caus...

Marine biotoxins from microalgae can accumulate in shellfish and lead to poisoning of human consumers as well as fish, marine mammals and sea birds. Toxicological assessment of the toxins and development of analytical methods require large amounts of high-purity toxins and their metabolites. Although these toxins can be obtained in limited amounts...

Hydroxylated metabolites of PCBs [OH-PCBs] represent new health and environmental concern because they have been shown to have agonist or antagonist interactions with hormone receptors (HRs) or hormone-receptor mediated responses. The present study was designed to investigate the estrogenic potency based on anti-AhR signalling effect of three 4-OH...

Okadaic acid analogues are well known as protein phosphatase inhibitors and occur naturally in marine shellfish feeding on dinoflagellates of the genus Dinophysis, leading to diarrhetic shellfish poisoning of shellfish consumers. Knowledge of the correct structures for these toxins is important in understanding their toxicology, biochemistry, and b...

Okadaic acid analogues are well known as protein phosphatase inhibitors and occur naturally in marine shellfish feeding on dinoflagellates of the genus Dinophysis, leading to diarrhetic shellfish poisoning of shellfish consumers. Knowledge of the correct structures for these toxins is important in understanding their toxicology, biochemistry, and b...

Azaspiracids have recurred regularly in Northern European shellfish since their discovery in November 1995 in Irish mussels. Their presence in shellfish poses a risk of acute nausea, vomiting and severe diarrhoea in human consumers and chronic effects are suspected. There is an urgent need for sensitive, simple, rapid, affordable methods with a hig...

Application of synthetic chemistry to produce antibodies with broad specificity to azaspiracids. Azaspiracids (AZAs) have recurred regularly in Northern European shellfish since their discovery in November 1995 in Irish mussels. There is an urgent need for sensitive, simple, rapid, affordable methods with a high sample throughput.Their presence in...

The development of general, sensitive, portable, and quantitative assays for the azaspiracid (AZA) class of marine toxins is urgently needed. Use of a synthetic hapten containing rings F-I of AZA to generate antibodies that cross-react with the AZAs via their common C28-C40 domain and use of these antibodies in ELISA and immunoaffinity columns are...

Dose dependent effects of Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) on cytochrome P4501A (CYP1A), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and fluorescent aromatic compounds (FACs) metabolites biomarker responses were studied in African sharptooth catfish (Clarias gariepinus) following 24 h of waterborne exposures. Based on biomass of C. gariepinus in different tanks, BaP conce...

The ability of African sharptooth catfish (Clarias gariepinus) in inducing cytochrome P-450 class 1A (CYP1A) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) biomarkers was determined in liver and gill filaments after 4 days of waterborne exposure to the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P). Male (n=6) and female (n=6) fish were exposed to B[...

A large culture (110 L) of a Norwegian strain of Protoceratium reticulatum (strain AP2) was established. The culture was harvested with a specially designed pump and column system and the yessotoxins (YTXs) extracted by solid phase extraction. Fractions from before and after harvesting were analyzed by a recently developed YTX-ELISA with a broad sp...

44,55-Dihydroxyyessotoxin (1) was isolated from extracts of Protoceratium reticulatum and identified by analysis of its one- and two-dimensional NMR and mass spectra. In addition, LC-MS methods revealed the presence of compounds tentatively identified as (44-R,S)-44,55-dihydroxy-41a-homoyessotoxin (2) and (44-R,S)-44,55-dihydroxy-9-methyl-41a-homoy...

Two novel pectenotoxins (PTXs) were detected by LC-MS in solid phase extracts of net hauls taken at Flødevigen, Norway, in June 2002 that were dominated by Dinophysis acuminata and Dinophysis norvegica. The new compounds were isolated as minor components from a large collection of a Dinophysis acuta-dominated bloom obtained from Skjer, Sognefjorden...

Sandvik M, Rundberget T, Fæste CK, Samdal IA, Miles CO, Petersen D. In vitro biotransformation of algal toxins. 5th International Conference on Molluscan Shellfish Safety, 14.-18. Juni 2004, Galway, Irland.

A large culture (110 L) of a Norwegian strain of the dinoflagellate Protoceratium reticulatum (AP2) earlier shown1 to produce yessotoxin (YTX) was established. The culture was harvested with a special designed pump and column system. The yessotoxins (YTXs) were extracted by solid phase extraction. Fractions from before and after the harvesting were...

Study the in vitro metabolism of selected algal toxins using enzyme preparations from blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) and Wistar rats.

Thirty-nine leaf samples of Narthecium ossifragum collected from eight sites in Møre og Romsdal County, Norway, during June-September 1997 and 41 leaf samples collected at five sites in the same county during June-August 1998 were analysed for the concentrations of steroidal sapogenins using GC-MS. The 1998 samples were also examined for fungal ele...

Sandvik M, Rundberget T, Fæste CK, Miles CO, Petersen D. In vitro biotransformasjon av algetoksiner isolert fra sjøvann, algekulturer og skjell. Havbruk 2004, 23.-24. Mars, Gardemoen, Norway.

We have developed a simple and effective method for isolating pectenotoxin-2 (PTX-2) from Dinophysis cells collected from a natural bloom. A two-step extraction procedure followed by two column chromatography steps produced PTX-2 in high purity suitable for use as an analytical standard and for toxicological studies. Incubation of purified PTX-2 wi...

This book contains 86 chapters based on papers presented at the 6th International Symposium on Poisonous Plants (ISOPP6), August 2001, Glasgow, UK. A range of topics are covered, from poisonous plant biochemistry to toxic effects in animals (particularly grazing farm animals) and humans. The contents include the evolution of antinutrients and toxin...

This book contains 86 chapters based on papers presented at the 6th International Symposium on Poisonous Plants (ISOPP6), August 2001, Glasgow, UK. A range of topics are covered, from poisonous plant biochemistry to toxic effects in animals (particularly grazing farm animals) and humans. The contents include the evolution of antinutrients and toxin...

The accumulation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs; 34 congeners), sigmaDDT (p,p'-DDT, o,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDD, o,p'-DDD and p,p'-DDE), chlordanes (sigmaCHL; trans-chlordane, cis-chlordane, trans-nonachlor, cis-nonachlor and oxychlordane), hexachlorocyclohexanes (sigmaHCH; alpha-, beta- and gamma-isomers), hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and mirex was investig...

Fifty-five mg per kg live weight of crystallized Yucca schidigera saponins, corresponding to 26 mg/kg live weight of sapogenins, was given daily intraruminally to two lambs for 11 consecutive days. Neither of the lambs showed any sign of toxicity throughout the experimental period. One lamb was killed 5 h after the last dose and GC-MS analysis of t...

The fungicide propiconazole (1-(2-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-propyl-1,3-dioxolan-2-ylmethyl) -1H-1,2,4-triazole) induced the hepatic cytochrome P4501A (CYP1A) activity towards ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD), the content of CYP1A protein as quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity towa...

Absorption and tissue distribution of benzo\ [a] pyrene (BaP)-derived radioactivity were studied in juvenile rainbow trout following dietary or waterborne exposure. In order to compare the bioavailability of BaP, the fish were exposed to 1.5 mCi 3H-BaP kg-1 fish, either in the diet or in the water as a 2 days static exposure. Furthermore, tissue le...

Absorption and tissue distribution of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP)-derived radioactivity were studied in juvenile rainbow trout following dietary or waterborne exposure. In order to compare the bioavailability of BaP, the fish were exposed to 1.5 mCi 3H-BaP kg-1 fish, either in the diet or in the water as a 2 days static exposure. Furthermore, tissue level...

The use of biomarkers such as cytochrome P4501A (CYP1A) or metallothionein (MT) for pollution monitoring is based on the assumption that an increased activity or concentration is primarily caused by exposure to contaminants. Previous studies have shown that the response of biomarkers may be affected by factors such as season, temperature, gender, n...

Juvenile rainbow trout were exposed to unlabelled benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) and 3H-benzo[a]pyrene (3H-BaP), in a static exposure system for 2 days. The initial concentration was 30 μg I-1 and 0.625 μCi I-1, corresponding to 6 mg kg-1 body weight and 125 μCi kg-1 body weight. Hepatic 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity was measured during the...

Responses in flounder (Platichthys flesus) towards benzo [a]pyrene (BaP), 2,3,3',4,4',5-hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB-156), and cadmium (Cd) were investigated in time-course and dose-response studies of selected biomarkers. Measurements of biliary fluorescent BaP metabolites and hepatic concentrations of PCB-156 and cadmium showed that the injected toxic...

Interactive effects of a mixed pollutant exposure on biomarker responses were studied in European flounder (Platichthys flesus L.). The model chemicals, benzo[a]pyrene (BaP, 2.5 mg kg-1), 2,3,3′,4,4′5-hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB-156, 2.5 mg kg-1), and cadmium (cadmium, 1 mg kg-1), were administered to fish by subcutaneous injections. Biomarker response...

Flounder (Platichthys flesus L.) and Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua L.) were subjected to caging at polluted sediments in a Norwegian fjord (Sørfjorden) for a period of 3 months. Three caging sites were located close to metal smelters, whereas a fourth site was located 30 km away as a reference. In sediment samples, polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), po...

Flounder (Platichthys flesus) is among the most common fish-species in Norwegian and European estuaries. It lives in or on sediments from which it also finds most of its food. The aim of the present work was to evaluate biomarkers in flounder for possible future use in monitoring programmes. There were clear biomarker responses in flounder followin...

Four subunits of the cytosolic glutathione S-transferase (GST) in Orthosia gothica fed on willow leaves and a semisynthetic bean diet were purified as separate peaks (subunits 1-4) by a two-step gradient elution from a reverse-phase HPLC column after an initial purification by glutathione-Sepharose 1-chloro-2,4-dinitro-benzene (CDNB). Subunit 1 wit...

1. Atrazine (3 daily i.p. doses of 0.20 mg/kg or 10 ppb in the water for 14 days) did not change the xenobiotic metabolizing enzyme activities (XME) towards the substrates aldrin epoxidase (AE), NADPH-cytochrome c reductase (NCCR), 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD), 1-chloro-2,4-dinitro-benzene (CDNB) and 1,2-dichloro-4-nitrobenzene (DCNB) in t...