Nicolas O. Zambrano

Nicolas O. Zambrano

orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

4Years (2023-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

View All Publications
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
JPJaviera De la Paz
Javiera De la Paz
NZNicolas O. Zambrano
Nicolas O. Zambrano
FOFernando Ortiz
Fernando Ortiz
ALAlejandra Llanos-Rivera
Alejandra Llanos-Rivera
The global concern about the increase of harmful algal bloom events and the possible impacts on food safety and aquatic ecosystems presents the necessity for the development of more accessible techniques for biotoxin detection for screening purposes. Considering the numerous advantages that zebrafish present as a biological model and particularly as a toxicants sentinel, we designed a sensitive and accessible test to determine the activity of paralytic and amnesic biotoxins using zebrafish larvae immersion. The ZebraBioTox bioassay is based on the automated recording of larval locomotor activity using an IR microbeam locomotion detector, and manual assessment of four complementary responses under a simple stereoscope: survival, periocular edema, body balance, and touch response. This 24 h acute static bioassay was set up in 96-well microplates using 5 dpf zebrafish larvae. For paralytic toxins, a significant decrease in locomotor activity and touch response of the larvae was detected, allowing a detection threshold of 0.1–0.2 µg/mL STXeq. In the case of the amnesic toxin the effect was reversed, detecting hyperactivity with a detection threshold of 10 µg/mL domoic acid. We propose that this assay might be used as a complementary tool for environmental safety monitoring.

28 January 2023 in Thalassas: An International Journal of Marine Sciences
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
PDF file
VOValentina Olave
Valentina Olave
CMClaudio Mellado
Claudio Mellado
NZNicolas O. Zambrano
Nicolas O. Zambrano
JAJuan Aliaga
Juan Aliaga
LBLuis Ballesteros
Luis Ballesteros
JAJuan Francisco Araya
Juan Francisco Araya