Paralytic shellfish toxins from harmful algal blooms or the much-feared "red tide" - was a source of pride this time around as researchers of the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (led by Ms. Elvira Z. Sombrito) gained international recognition for their studies on the bioaccumulation of the toxins in green mussels reported in a paper, "Use of Perna viridis as Bioindicator of Paralytic Shellfish Toxins at Low Pyrodinium bahamese var compressum using a Radioreceptor Assay"
The paper was recently voted as the Best Paper in the Aquatic Invertebrate category and was named as one of the top ten papers published to date in the Journal, Environmental Bioindicators
The all-Filipino authors whose work came out in Volume 2, Issue 4(2007) of the said Journal, includes Ms. E. Sombrito, Ms. Celestina Honrado, Ms. Azucena de Vera, Mr. Rhett Simon Tabbada, Ms. Llorina Rañada, Mr. J. Relox,Jr., and Ms. Merrian Tangonan.
Local expertise on harmful algal blooms has long been acknowledged, with the PNRI being designated as a collaborating Center of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for studies on Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB)and the host laboratory being recognized as a regional resource center for Receptor Binding Assay.
The Department of Science and Technology, which has constantly supported the Institute's research on HABs, has sent its congratulatory greetings to the authors
