Ten different marine oils for human consumption (one krill oil included) were analysed for dioxins (PCDD/F), dioxin-like PCBs (dl-PCB), non-dioxin-like PCBs (PCB6), polybrominated flame retardants (PBDE7) and the elements arsenic, cadmium, mercury, lead and selenium.

The results showed that the levels of environmental contaminants were generally low in all the marine oils investigated. No oils had concentrations above the EU maximum levels of 1.75 ng TEQ/kg oil for sum PCDD/F or 6.0 ng TEQ/kg oil for sum PCDD/F+dl-PCB in marine oils intended for human consumption. The concentrations of these contaminants in the four oils containing mixtures of fish oils and plant oils were also well below the EU maximum levels for vegetable oils.

The concentrations of the heavy metals cadmium, mercury and lead were very low and below the limit of quantification for all the oils.

The levels of environmental contaminants varied between the different oils. The concentrations of non-dioxin-like PCBs and PBDE7 were highest in the seal oils, lower in the fish oils and lowest in the krill oils and the oils containing mixtures of fish oils and plant oils. On the other hand, the highest concentrations of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs were found in one of the fish oils whereas the level in seal oils were not significantly higher than in the other oils. The level of arsenic was significantly higher in the krill oil than in all other oils investigated.

All oils were purchased on stores.  Krill oil brand was capsules branded  “OmegaRed  Krillolje”  manufactured by Medica Nord AS (Norway).