PCR techniques as diagnostic tools for the identification and enumeration of toxic marine phytoplankton species

Molecular based techniques applied to the marine environment for the rapid, specific and sensitive detection of target toxic microalgae have been developed and performed in many laboratories worldwide. Further, a need to quantify species specific target HAB (Harmful Algal Bloom) cells in natural assemblages avoiding the time consuming traditional methods of the microscopy is basically required. Here, a brief review of the quailtative and quantitative PCR-based methods applied for the monitoring of HAB species in field samples from the Mediterranean Sea is presented.