title: Forensic identification of seal oils using lipid profiles and statistical models.
abstract: Seal blubber oils are used as a source of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in Canada but prohibited in the United States and (FA) European Union. Thus, a reliable method is needed to identify oils originating from seals versus fish. Two lipid profiling methods, fatty acid analysis using gas chromatography and triacylglycerol (TAG) analysis using liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry, were applied with statistical models to discriminate commercial oils and blubber samples harvested from marine fish and seals. Significant differences were observed among FA profiles, and seal samples differed from each of the fish oils (p ≤ 0.001). FA and TAG profiles were used to discriminate sample groups using a random forest classifier; all samples were classified correctly as seals versus fish using both methods. We propose a two-step method for the accurate identification of seal oils, with preliminary identification based on FA profile analysis and confirmation with TAG profiles.
authors.affiliation: Center for Coastal Environmental Health and Biomolecular Research (CCEHBR), National Ocean Service (NOS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 219 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, SC, 29412; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, 173 Ashley Avenue, Charleston, SC, 29425.
authors.forename: Margaret H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Broadwater
authors.forename: Gloria T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Seaborn
authors.forename: John H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Schwacke
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D015233:Models, Statistical; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009821:Oils / Q000737:chemistry*; D046048:Seals, Earless; D013045:Species Specificity; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D005395:Fish Oils; D009821:Oils; D014280:Triglycerides
keywords: Marine Mammal Protection Act; dietary supplements; fish oils; forensic science; omega-3 fatty acids; seal oils