Distribution of methylene and nonmethylene-interrupted dienoic fatty acids in polar lipids and triacylglycerols of selected tissues of the hardshell clam (Mercenaria mercenaria).

Fatty acid profiles of polar lipids and triacylglycerols were determined for 6 tissues of the hardshell clam (Mercenaria mercenaria), namely, mantle, gill, mouth, foot, digestive tract/gonadal tissue and adductor muscle. The largest concentrations of nonmethylene-interrupted dienoic (NMID) fatty acids were found in the gill, mantle, and foot. Structural analyses were undertaken to determine the double bond configurations of the various NMID isomers. The major 22C NMID species were Δ7,13- and Δ7,15-docosadienoic acid. The major 20C NMID species were Δ7,11- and Δ7,13-eicosadienoic acid and Δ5,11-eicosadienoic acid.