Preliminary Investigation of the 'Charm II' System as a Rapid Method for Detecting Residue of Antibiotics in Mussels

Authors: İbrahim OKUMUŞ, Hadrian P. STIRLING

Abstract: The possibility of using 'Charm II' system as a rapid and more reliable method for detecting the residue of potentiated sulphonamides in the tissue of mussels was studied as a preliminary investigation. The possible interference of relatively high fat content, bacterial contamination and/or stomach contents of mussels taken directly from control sites and salmon farms created a problem for detecting antibiotics in these mussel samples. Trials with the whole tissue of mussel samples from completely clean areas and the removal of fat and stomach content did not solve this problem, but trials with the tissue of completely purified mussels responded positively. Therefore, it has been concluded that mainly due to the nature of mussel tissue, the Charm II system appears to be limited to testing mussel tissues with a minimal microbial load and does not seem to be such a rapid technique for screening mussel tissue for drug residue arising from fish farming or other sources.

Keywords: Fish Farming, Environmental effects, Mussel tissues, Charm II System, Antibiotic residues