The application of fast atom bombardment-and secondary ion-mass spectrometry to the Determination of molecular weights of non-volatile toxins was successfully examined with the use of authentic specimens of paralytic shellfish poisons (saxitoxin, gonyautoxin-1 gonyautoxin-2 and protogonyautoxin-1) and tetrodotoxin.
Two non-sulfated toxins, saxitoxin and tetrodotoxin, produced intense pseudomolecular ion peaks in both positive and/or negative ion detection. On the other hand, each of gonyautoxin-1 and -2 and protogonyautoxin-1, all sulfated, gave only small (M+H)⁺ ion peaks in the positive ion detection whereas exhibiting prominent (M-H)^- ion peaks in the negative ion spectrum.
The molecular weights thus determined were 299 for saxitoxin, 41 1 for gonyautoxin-1, 395 for gonyautoxin-2, 475 for protogonyautoxin-1 and 319 for tetrodotoxin, in good accordance with their molecular weights.

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