Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Biodegradation and Bioconversion of Hydrocarbons pp 67–104Cite as

HC-0A-02: Analysis of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons from Food

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

Abstract

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) comprise a class of organic compounds of petrogenic origins or generated from the incomplete combustion of organic matter. Their presence in the environment can be a source of food contamination, which implies a potential risk to human health according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Additionally, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO/WHO) and the Scientific Committee on Food consider PAHs to be genotoxic and carcinogenic. The greatest concern has been raised regarding the possibility of cancer induction in humans exposed to PAHs from contaminated food. Therefore, many regulations and reports regarding strategies for and results of food monitoring have been published, including performance criteria for the sampling, chemical analysis and maximum permitted levels of these contaminants in food. A variety of techniques have been reported for the extraction, clean-up and determination steps of the analytical process. The details and advantages of each technique are discussed in this chapter. Additionally, because method validation is one measure that laboratories must implement to guarantee the reliability, traceability and comparability of their results, a review and critical analysis of the current practices in this area are also presented.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   99.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  • AFSSA (Association for French Studies in Southern Africa) (2004) Collection of occurrence data on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in food. Final report Scoop Task 3.2.12 occurrence data on PAH in food. Maisons-Alfort, France

    Google Scholar 

  • Aguinaga N, Campillo N, Viñas P, Hernández-Córdoba M (2007) Determination of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in milk and related products using solid-phase microextraction coupled to gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Anal Chim Acta 596:285–290

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Albers PH (2002) Petroleum and individual polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. In: Hoffman DJ et al (eds) Handbook of ecotoxicology, 2nd edn. CRC Press, Boca Raton, pp 341–371

    Google Scholar 

  • ATSDR (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry) (1995) Toxicological profile for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. ATSDR, Atlanta

    Google Scholar 

  • Badolato ESG, Martins MS, Pimentel SA, Alaburda J, Kumagai EE, Baptista GG, Rosnethal A (2006) Sistematic study of benzo(a)pyrene in coffee samples. J Braz Chem Soc 17(5):989–993

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Baek SO, Field RA, Goldstone ME, Kirk PW, Lester JN, Perry R (1991) A review of atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: sources, fate, and behavior. Water Air Soil Pollut 60:279–300

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ballesteros E, Sánchez AG, Martos NR (2006) Simultaneous multidetermination of residues of pesticides and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in olive and olive-pomace oils by gas chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry. J Chromatogr A 1111:89–96

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Belo RFC, Nunes CM, Santos EV, Augusti DV, Pissinatti R (2012) Single laboratory validation of a SPE method for the determination of PAHs in edible oils by GC–MS. Anal Methods 4:4068–4076

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boström C, Gerde P, Hanberg A, Jernström B, Johansson C, Kyrklund T, Rannug A, Törnqvist M, Victorin K, Westerholm R (2002) Cancer risk assessment, indicators and guidelines for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the ambient air. Environ Health Perspect 110:451–488

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bulder AS, Hoogenboom LAP, Kan CA, Raamsdonk LWD, Traag WA, Bouwmeester H (2006) Initial risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in feed (materials). Report 2006.001. RIKILT—Institute of Food Safety, Wageningen

    Google Scholar 

  • Budzinski H, Jones I, Bellocq J, Piérard C, Garrigue P (1997) Evaluation of sediment contamination by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the Gironde estuary. Mar Chem 58:85–97

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cai S, Stevensb J, Syagea JA (2012) Ultra high performance liquid chromatography–atmospheric pressure photoionization-mass spectrometry for high-sensitivity analysis of US Environmental Protection Agency sixteen priority pollutant polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons in oysters. J Chromatogr A 1227:138–144

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Camargo MCR, Toledo MCF (2002) Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon contamination in different commodity groups. Braz J Food Technol 5:19–26

    Google Scholar 

  • Ciecierska M, Obiedzinsk M (2007) Influence of smoking process on the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons’s content in meat products. Acta Sci Pol Technol Aliment 6(4):17–20

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Codex Alimentarius Commission (2005) Discussion paper on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) contamination. JOINT FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants. Thirty-seventh Session The Hague, The Netherlands, 25–29 April, 2005

    Google Scholar 

  • Codex Alimentarius Commission (2009) Code of practice for the reduction of contamination of food with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) from smoking and direct drying processes. CAC/RCP 68

    Google Scholar 

  • Danyi S, Brose F, Brasseur C, Schneider YJ, Larondelle Y, Pussemier L, Robbens J, De Saeger S, Maghuin-Rogister G, Scippo ML (2009) Analysis of EU priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in food supplements using high performance liquid chromatography coupled to an ultraviolet, diode array or fluorescence detector. Anal Chim Acta 633:293–299

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Diletti G, Scortichini G, Scarpone R, Gatti G, Torreti L, Migliorati G (2005) Isotope dilution determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in olive pomace oil by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. J Chromatogr A 1062:247–254

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Drabova L, Pulkrabova J, Kalachova K, Tomaniova M, Kocourek V, Hajslova J (2012) Rapid determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in tea using two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with time of flight mass spectrometry. Talanta 100:207–216

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • EC (European Commission), SCF (Scientific Committee on Food) (2002) Opinion of the Scientific Committee on Food on the risks to human health of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in food (expressed on 4 December 2002)

    Google Scholar 

  • EFSA (European Food Standard Agency) (2008a) Findings of the EFSA data collection on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in food—a report from the unit of data collection and exposure on a request from the European Commission. EFSA/DATEX/002 (revision 1)

    Google Scholar 

  • EFSA (European Food Standard Agency) (2008b) Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in food—scientific opinion of the panel on contaminants in the food chain. EFSA J 724:1–114

    Google Scholar 

  • EPA (Environment Protection Agency) (1986) Quality criteria for water, 1986. EPA 440/5-86-001. United States EPA, Washington

    Google Scholar 

  • EU (2011a) Commission regulation 2011/836/EU of 19 August 2011 amending Regulation (EC) No 333/2007 laying down the methods of sampling and analysis for the official control of the levels of lead, cadmium, mercury, inorganic tin, 3-MCPD and benzo(a)pyrene in foodstuffs. Off J Eur Union L215:9–16

    Google Scholar 

  • EU (2011b) Commission regulation 2011/836/EU of 19 August 2011 amending Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 as regards maximum levels for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in foodstuffs. Off J Eur Union L215:4–8

    Google Scholar 

  • Feng X, Pisula W, Müllen K (2009) Large polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: synthesis and discotic organization. Pure Appl Chem 81(12):2203–2224

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gohlke JM, Doke D, Tipre M, Leader M, Fitzgerald T (2011) A review of seafood safety after the deepwater horizon blowout. Environ Health Perspect 119:1062–1069

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Harvey RG (1998) Environmental chemistry of PAHs. In: Hutzinger O (ed) The handbook of environmental chemistry, volume 3, 1st edn. Springer, Berlin, pp 1–55

    Google Scholar 

  • Hewavitharana AK (2011) Matrix matching in liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry with stable isotope labelled internal standards—is it necessary? J Chromatogr A 1218:359–361

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Houessou JK, Benac C, Delteil C, Camel VC (2005) Determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in coffee brew using solid-phase extraction. J Agric Food Chem 53:871–879

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) (2012) Chemical agents and related occupations: a review of human carcinogens. IARC monographs on the evaluation of carcinogenic risks to humans, vol 100F. IARC, Lyon, p 599

    Google Scholar 

  • IPCS (International Programme on Chemical Safety) (1998) Environmental criteria 202. Selected non-heterocyclic PAHs. World Health Organization, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • ISO (International standard Organization) (2005) ISO 9000:2005 quality management systems—fundamentals and vocabulary. ISO, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • ISO (International Standard Organization) (2012) ISO 22959 animal and vegetable fats and oils—determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by on-line donor–acceptor complex chromatography and HPLC with fluorescence detection, 1st edn. ISO, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • Kim JH, Moon JK, Li QX, Cho JY (2003) One-step pressurized liquid extraction method for the analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Anal Chim Acta 498:55–60

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Konieczka P, Wolska L, Namiesnik J (2010) Quality problems in determination of organic compounds in environmental samples, such as PHAs and PCBs. Trend Anal Chem 29(7):706–717

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Law RJ, Kelly C, Baker K, Jones J, McIntosh AD, Moffat CF (2002) Toxic equivalency factors for PAH and their applicability in shellfish pollution monitoring studies. J Environ Monit 4:383–388

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liguori L, Heggstad K, Hove HT, Julshamn K (2006) An automated extraction approach for isolation of 24 polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from various marine matrixes. Anal Chim Acta 573–574:181–188

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lodovici M, Dolara P, Casalini C, Ciappellano S, Testolin G (1995) Polyciclic aromatic hydrocarbon contamination in the Italian diet. Food Addit Contam 12:703–713

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Londoño VAG, Garcia LP, Scussel VM, Resnik S (2013) Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in milk powders marketed in Argentina and Brazil. Food Addit Contam 30(9):1573–1580

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lund M, Duedahl-Olesen L, Christensen JH (2009) Extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from smoked fish using pressurized liquid extraction with integrated fat removal. Talanta 79:10–15

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Magnusson B, Ornemark U (2014) Eurachem guide: the fitness for purpose of analytical methods—a laboratory guide to method validation and related topics, 2nd edn. EURACHEM, p 62

    Google Scholar 

  • Mannino MR, Orecchio S (2008) Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in indoor dust matter of Palermo (Italy) area: extraction, GC–MS analysis, distribution and sources. Atmos Environ 42:1801–1817

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mechlinska A, Wolska L, Namiesnik J (2010) Isotope-labeled substances in analysis of persistent organic pollutants in environmental samples. Trend Anal Chem 29(8):820–831

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Meire RO, Azererdo A, Machado JP (2007) Aspectos ecotoxicológicos de hidrocarbonetos policíclicos aromáticos. Oecol Bras 11(2):188–201

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ming-Ho Y (2005) Volatile organic compounds. In: Ming-Ho Y (ed) Environmental toxicology: biological and health effects of pollutants, 2nd edn. CRC Press, Florida, pp 171–184

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitra S (2003) Sample preparation techniques in analytical chemistry. Wiley, New Jersey

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Nielsen T, Feilberg A, Binderup ML (1999) The variation of street air levels of PAH and other mutagenic PAC in relation to regulations of traffic emissions and the impact of atmospheric processes. Environ Sci Pollut Res 6(3):133–137

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Orecchio S, Ciotti VP, Culotta L (2009) Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in coffee brew samples: analytical method by GC–MS, profile, levels and sources. Food Chem Toxicol 47:819–826

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Orecchio S (2010) Assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil of a Natural Reserve (Isola delle Femmine) (Italy) located in front of a plant for the production of cement. J Hazard Mater 173:358–368

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Oshita D, Jardim ICSF (2015) Evaluation of dispersive and cartridge SPE clean-up procedures using the modified QuEChERS method for the analysis of pesticides in strawberries. Anal Methods 7:982–989

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pampanin DM, Sydnes MO (2013) Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons a constituent of petroleum: presence and influence in the aquatic environment. In: Kutcherov V (ed) Hydrocarbon. InTech, ISBN: 978-953-51-0927-3. doi:10.5772/48176

  • Payanan T, Leepipatpiboon N, Varanusupakul P (2013) Low-temperature cleanup with solid-phase extraction for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in edible oils by reversed phase liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. Food Chem 141:2720–2726

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pincemaille J, Schummer C, Heinen E, Moris G (2014) Determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in smoked and non-smoked black teas and tea infusions. Food Chem 145:807–813

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pissinatti R, Nunes CM, Souza AG, Junqueira RG, Souza SVC (2014) Simultaneous analysis of 10 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons inroasted coffee by isotope dilution gas chromatography–mass spectrometry: optimization, in-house method validation and application to an exploratory study. Food Control 51:140–148

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Poster DL, Schantz MM, Sander LC, Wise SA (2006) Analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in environmental samples: a critical review of gas chromatographic (GC) methods. Anal Bioanal Chem 386:859–881

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Purcaro G, Moret S, Conte LS (2013) Overview on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: occurrence, legislation and innovative determination in foods. Talanta 105:292–305

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Purcaro G, Moret S, Conte LS (2007a) Rapid validated method for the analysis of benzo(a)pyrene in vegetable oils by using solid–phase microextraction–gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. J Chromatogr A 1176:231–235

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Purcaro G, Morrison P, Moret S, Conte LS, Marriott PJ (2007b) Determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in vegetable oils using solid-phase microextraction-comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry. J Chromatogr A 1161:284–291

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rose M, White S, Macarthur R, Petch RG, Holland J, Damant AP (2007) Single-laboratory validation of a GC/MS method for the determination of 27 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in oils and fats. Food Addit Contam 24:635–651

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sargent M, Harte R, Harrington C (2002) Guidelines for achieving high accuracy in isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS), 1st edn. Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge 34 p

    Google Scholar 

  • Smoker M, Tran K, Smith RE (2010) Determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in shrimp. J Agric Food Chem 58:12101–12104

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Souza SVC, Junqueira RG (2005) A procedure to assess linearity by ordinary least squares method. Anal Chim Acta 552:25–35

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • So-Young J, Ju-Sung P, Min-Su C, Mi-Sun K, Sang-Mi L, Jung-Hun K, Young-Zoo C (2013) A Simple method for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in edible oil employing solid phase extraction (SPE) cartridge purification. Food Sci Biotechnol 22(1):241–248

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stanciu G, Dobrinas S, Birghila S, Popescu M (2008) Determination of organic compounds from different types of coffee by HPLC and GC–ECD analysis. J Environ Eng 7(6):661–666

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor CM, Raines JM, Rodriguez JM (2013) Determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in seafood. Food Anal Methods 6:1330–1336

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tfouni SAV, Serrate CS, Carreiro LB, Camargo MCR, Teles CRA, Cipolli KMVAB, Furlani RPZ (2012) Effect of roasting on chlorogenic acids, caffeine and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons levels in two Coffea cultivars: Coffea arabica cv. Catuaí Amarelo IAC-62 and Coffea canephora cv. Apoatã IAC-2258. Int J Food Sci Technol 47:406–415

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson M, Ellison SLR, Wood R (2002) Harmonized guidelines for single-laboratory validation of methods of analysis. Pure Appl Chem 74:835–855

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tobiszewski M, Mechlińska A, Zygmunt B, Namieśnik J (2009) Green analytical chemistry in sample preparation for determination of trace organic pollutants. TrAC Trends Anal Chem 28:943–951

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Veyrand B, Brosseaud A, Sarcher L, Varlet V, Monteau F, Marchand P, Andre F, Le Bizec B (2007) Innovative method for determination of 19 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in food and oil samples using gas chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry based on an isotope dilution approach. J Chromatogr A 1149:333–344

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang W, Meng B, Lu X, Liu Y, Tao S (2007) Extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and organochlorine pesticides from soils: a comparison between Soxhlet extraction, microwave-assisted extraction and accelerated solvent extraction techniques. Anal Chim Acta 602:211–222

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • WHO (World Health Organization) (2006) Evaluation of certain food contaminants—report of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, 64th meeting, Rome, 8–17 February, 2005, p 1 and 61. WHO Technical Report Series, No. 930

    Google Scholar 

  • Windal I, Boxus L, Hanot V (2008) Validation of the analysis of the 15 + 1 European-priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by donnor–acceptor complex chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography–ultraviolet/fluorescence detection. J Chromatogr A 1212:16–22

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wretling S, Eriksson A, Eskhult GA, Larsson B (2010) Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Swedish smoked meat and fish. J Food Compos Anal 23:264–272

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yunker MB, Macdonald RW, Vingarzanc R, Mitchelld RH, Goyettee D, Sylvestre S (2002) PAHs in the Fraser River basin: a critical appraisal of PAH ratios as indicators of PAH source and composition. Org Geochem 33:489–515

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ziegenhals K, Speer K, Jira W (2009) Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in chocolate on the German market. J Verbrauch Lebensm 4:128–135

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Laboratory of Minas Gerais (LANAGRO-MG), Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply (MAPA), Av. Rômulo Joviano S/N, Centro, Pedro Leopoldo, MG, 33600-000, Brazil

    Rafael Pissinatti

  2. Department of Food Science, Faculty of Pharmacy (FAFAR), Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Campus Da UFMG, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-010, Brazil

    Scheilla V. C. de Souza

Authors
  1. Rafael Pissinatti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Scheilla V. C. de Souza
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Scheilla V. C. de Souza .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia

    Kirsten Heimann

  2. James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia

    Obulisamy Parthiba Karthikeyan

  3. SGS Hong Kong Limited, Hong Kong, Hong Kong

    Subramanian Senthilkannan Muthu

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2017 Springer Science+Business Media Singapore

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Pissinatti, R., de Souza, S.V.C. (2017). HC-0A-02: Analysis of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons from Food. In: Heimann, K., Karthikeyan, O., Muthu, S. (eds) Biodegradation and Bioconversion of Hydrocarbons. Environmental Footprints and Eco-design of Products and Processes. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-0201-4_2

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation