ARSENOLIPIDS IN FISH OIL

Abstract

ARSENIC, A HAZARDOUS heavy metal, associates with lipids in fish, researchers have found ( Chem. Commun. , DOI: 10.1039/b808049f). The discovery of arsenic in oil from capelin ( Mallotus villosus ), a North Atlantic fish in the smelt family, and the prospect that it could also be present in other fatty fish, could have important implications for human health and the ocean environment. Arsenic is a lethal poison and thus a major environmental and health hazard. Most human exposure to the metal occurs through water, and the majority of research on arsenic toxicity has focused on this. Scientists had previously believed that any arsenic found in fish would be water-soluble; they were surprised to find it in lipids. This discovery of arsenic in fish oil adds to health concerns, especially because many dietitians encourage people to increase their fish consumption. A group led by Kevin A. Francesconi, professor of chemistry at the University of Graz, in Austria, has now ...