A GC/MS method for the determination of carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in smoked meat products and liquid smokes

A GC/MS method for the determination of ten polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) with four to six condensed aromatic carbon rings (including the six carcinogenic PAH) in smoked meat products and liquid smokes has been developed. The method implies accelerated solvent extraction (ASE), gel permeation chromatography for efficient lipid removal without saponification and C-13-labelled PAH for quantification. The calibration curves showed a good linearity for all PAH in the concentration range 0.01-10,000 ppb, the repeatabilities (RSDs, n=6) of different PAH ranged from 3 to 12%. Using this method, the analysis of a standard reference material of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (mussel tissue, SRM 2977) resulted in a good accordance between measured and certified PAH concentrations. The determination of PAH contents in 26 samples of smoked meat products and liquid smokes further confirmed the analytical power of the new method and gave a first insight into the specific PAH patterns.