TAINTING OF ATLANTIC SALMON (SALMO-SALAR) BY PETROLEUM-HYDROCARBONS DURING A SHORT-TERM EXPOSURE

A set of three short-term exposures was conducted to explore concentrations of Flotta North Sea light crude oil dissolved in seawater which could lead to tainting in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). The water-soluble fraction (WSF) of Flotta light crude was prepared by stirring the oil with cold seawater. The main components of the WSF were low-boiling aromatics, although these were only a small proportion of the starting oil. The fish (average size 367 g; lipid content of the muscle 3.6% wet wt) were exposed to three levels of the WSF for 6 h. A sensory panel evaluation of taint was conducted, and the results were compared with hydrocarbon analyses performed by capillary gas liquid chromatography. Although the time of exposure was short, flavours of experimental fish samples were significantly (p < 0.01) different from those of control samples, even at the lowest exposure concentration of 0.45 ppm WSF. The muscle uptake is discussed as a reflection of fat content which was much less than in market sized salmon. Muscle and liver bioaccumulate mainly toluene and naphthalene.