Removal of DDT and its Metabolites from Fish Oils by Molecular Distillation

Abstract

The distribution of DDT and its metabolities in cod liver oil and some other marine oils are reported. Cod liver oil showed an average content of (1.50 ± 0.31) mg DDT/kg. Dogfish liver oil contained 2.44 mg DDT/kg, and body oil from capelin, herring and mackerel, showed 0.40, 0.31 and 0.45 mg/kg, respectively. A whale oil showed a content of 1.33 mg DDT/kg. Stripping of a cod liver oil by molecular distillation is reported. When the removal of DDT is seen in relation to the losses of vitamin A, a run at a temperature of 170°C seemed to give optimum conditions. At this temperature 65% DDT was removed with a loss of about 25% vitamin A.