Removal of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs from fish oil by countercurrent supercritical CO2 extraction and activated carbon treatment

It has been known that fish oils are prone to contamination by polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DL-PCBs). In this study, the removal of contaminants from fish oil by countercurrent supercritical CO2 extraction (CC-SCE) and activated carbon treatment was investigated. Fish oil was treated by CC-SCE at 70 °C and 30 MPa and with a CO2/oil ratio of 72; this resulted in a 93% reduction in the sum of PCDDs, PCDFs and DL-PCBs concentration level by and 85% reduction in toxic equivalency (TEQ). CC-SCE uses 40% less CO2 and yields 30% more refined oil than semi-batch-type processes. Subsequent treatment by activated carbon reduced the concentration level by 94% and TEQ by 93%. CC-SCE is effective for the removal of DL-PCBs, whereas activated carbon treatment is effective for the removal of PCDD/Fs. These results reveal that the combination of CC-SCE and activated carbon treatment is applicable to the removal of PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs from fish oil.