Abstract: A method for extracting contaminants and pollutants from an ecosystem. The method includes extracting from the ecosystem a quantity of animal tissue and grinding or macerating the animal tissue to form a slurry-like mixture and adding the mixture to a digestion vessel. The pH of the ground animal tissue is reduced to a range of from approximately 3.5 to approximately 4.5 and the ground tissue is allowed to decompose through the action of digestive enzymes released from the visceral tissue of the animal tissue by the maceration step. The decomposed tissue is separated into a lipid portion, a proteinaceous portion and a bone fragment or hard tissue portion. At least a part of the lipid portion may then be extracted from the decomposed tissue for further processing or disposal of contaminants and pollutants contained therein.

Abstract: A method for extracting contaminants and pollutants from an ecosystem. The method includes extracting from the ecosystem a quantity of animal tissue and grinding or macerating the animal tissue to form a slurry-like mixture and adding the mixture to a digestion vessel. The pH of the ground animal tissue is reduced to a range of from approximately 3.5 to approximately 4.5 and the ground tissue is allowed to decompose through the action of digestive enzymes released from the visceral tissue of the animal tissue by the maceration step. The decomposed tissue is separated into a lipid portion, a proteinaceous portion and a bone fragment or hard tissue portion. At least a part of the lipid portion may then be extracted from the decomposed tissue for further processing or disposal of contaminants and pollutants contained therein.