Investigation of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzo-p-furans and selected coplanar biphenyls in Scottish farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

Farmed and wild Scottish Atlantic salmon were obtained from retail suppliers, producers, and Stirling University in Scotland during January, 1999, for determination of 17 2,3,7,8-Cl-substituted PCDDs and PCDFs, and seven non-ortho- and mono-ortho-PCBs. The study confirms previous reports of relatively high concentrations of PCDDs, PCDFs and, especially, PCBs in farmed Scottish salmon. The results indicate that high consumption of salmon, particularly by children under 5 years, could lead to intakes above the tolerable daily intake (TDI) and tolerable weekly intake (TWI) for these chemicals, especially the PCBs, when combined with mean or high level intakes from the typical UK diet. These results suggest further investigation of farmed salmon and salmon feed, including feed fortified with fish oil and feed fortified with selected vegetable oils, is warranted.