Fatty acid compositions of indian shark liver fats

Summary Liver fats ofCarcharias limbatus andPristis cuspidatus from the West Coast of India have been studied. Lithium salt-acetone and lead salt-alcohol methods were adopted for the resolution of the fatty acids. An efficient, electrically heated and packed column has been employed for fractionation of the methyl esters of fatty acids. These fats have been found to have a high content of saturated fatty acids and thus belong to the fourth group of Tsujimoto's classification of Elasmobranch fish liver fats. Analyses of the liver oils from the same species of fish show that there is a tendeney towards saturation or hydrogenation of polyethylenic acids accompanied by an increasing concentration of unsaponifiable matter, which is mainly alcohol ethers of the selachyl type, in accordance with Lovern's views.