A facilities upgrade here at Analytical Services Tasmania (AST) in late 2017 enabled us to provide a local, rapid Biotoxin testing service for the shellfish industry in Tasmania.
The upgrade was undertaken with consultation from both the Tasmanian Seafood Industry Council (TSIC) and Oysters Tasmania to industry specifications.
This specialised testing service provides fast and flexible testing operations 52 weeks of the year, including the busy Christmas and Easter holiday periods, with testing days occurring on Mondays and Wednesdays (submissions need to be received prior to 10am on the testing day).
Shellfish Biotoxin analysis includes 37 separate analytes covering:
- Lipophilic toxins (including AST and DST)
- Neurotoxic Shellfish toxins
- Paralytic Shellfish toxins (PST)
The AST Biotoxin unit gained NATA testing accreditation for oysters, mussels, pipis and scallops in 2017, with the addition of rock lobster, abalone and sea urchin roe in 2020.
As part of this work, AST participated in an international inter-laboratory trial for a new streamlined PST analysis test, the "Boundy Method", organised by two of the world leading laboratories in PST analysis, Cawthron (New Zealand) and Cefas (United Kingdom).
The Boundy method offers a number of improvements over the previous "Lawrence" method. Primarily, the method produces “final" results from a single test, eliminating the need to do a follow-up “confirmation" test of potentially high results. Increased throughput in the laboratory is also achievable due to the decreased sample preparation requirements.
The method underwent an international inter-laboratory trial, published in the Journal of AOAC. The AST Biotoxin unit is very proud of the fact that we were the only Australian participant in the trial. We were also able to provide a major improvement to the test, which increased instrumental robustness, and is now acknowledged as part of the official method.
In 2025 in response to the harmful marine algal bloom in South Australia, AST's Biotoxin facility rapidly developed a seperate test method for the three major brevetoxins produced in algae (Brevetoxin-1, Brevetoxin-2 and Brevetoxin-3). This was the first time Brevetoxins had been detected in Australia. This method is suitable for the analysis of fish, shellfish, algae, and animal tissue.
The biotoxin facility is co-located with the algae testing facility at AST at 18 St Johns Avenue in New Town, Hobart.
Growers can contact the laboratory
directly for algal (water) and meat sample jars, sample
drop-off/postage/courier arrangements, and results. An
explanation of some of the technical detail provided on the
reports is provided on our client info sheet How To Read a Biotoxin Report.
Please contact us if you would like more information about the Boundy method, sample containers, the submission and result reporting/notfying process, or if you have any questions or concerns about the testing.
For enquiries regarding Tasmanian zone or area closures, please see the ShellMAP Biotoxins and Chemical Testing information which includes the Biotoxin Management Plan. ShellMAP can be contacted on 6165 3771 or email shellmap@nre.tas.gov.au
To see the laboratory in operation, please contact us to organise a tour.