Marine Environmental Metabolomics

Marine environmental metabolomics studies the interactions of marine organisms with their environment using metabolomics to characterise these interactions. There are many advantages in using this method to study interactions between organisms and the environment and to assess the function and health of organisms at the molecular level. In fact, metabolomics is finding an increasing number of applications in the marine sciences. These range from understanding the response of organisms to abiotic pressure to researching the response of organisms to other biota. These interactions can be studied at different levels, from individuals to populations for more traditional eco‐physiological or ecological studies. Marine organisms have developed a high diversity of chemical defences to avoid predators and parasites. This study therefore highlights the complexity of chemical interactions in the marine environment. The research methods include 1H‐ and 13C‐NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, analytical and preparative chromatography, and a multitude of bio‐assays

MARINE TOXINS (1940-2017)

Marine toxins are secreted by marine organisms in order to act as a deterrent against attack from predators, parasites and fouling organisms. This paper gives a historical overview of the discovery of these chemical compounds - marine toxins –from 1940 till 2017 and describes the chemical structure of the main toxic substances as well as the analytical methods used for their identification. The use of this method as a means of studying the interaction between marine organisms and their environment, as well as evaluating the function and health of organisms at a molecular level has a number of benefits. As a consequence, there has been an increase in the application of chemical structural analysis in the marine sciences. This study draws attention to how complex chemical interactions in the marine environment are and why in depth research is required