A preliminary comparison of polybrominated diphenyl ether concentrations relative to lipid content and to levels of dioxins and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls in Norwegian farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are environmental contaminants structurally similar to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and correlations between PBDE concentrations and concentrations of lipid, PCBs, dioxins and furans in feed and farmed Atlantic salmon filet indicate PBDEs may be derived from similar sources. PBDE concentrations (3.9 ± 0.6 ng g^?1 wet wt) in farmed Atlantic salmon correlated well with lipid content and these other halogenated contaminants, however, lower concentrations of PBDEs (1.6 ± 0.3 ng g^?1 wet wt) showed no correlation. Possible explanations for the non‐linear behaviour of PBDE concentrations in Atlantic salmon are discussed.