Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in spanish olive oils: relationship between benzo(a)pyrene and total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon content.
Samples of Spanish virgin olive oils (VOOs) from different categories, origins, varieties, and commercial brands were analyzed by HPLC with a programmable fluorescence detector to determine the content of nine heavy polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs): benzo(a)anthracene, chrysene, benzo(e)pyrene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, benzo(a)pyrene, dibenzo(a,h)anthracene, benzo(g,h,i)perilene, and indeno(1,2,3-c,d)pyrene. Samples of olive pomace and crude olive pomace oils were also investigated. Benzo(a)pyrene concentrations were below the allowed limit in the European Union (2 microg/kg) in 97% of the VOO samples. Only those samples coming from contaminated olive fruits or obtained in oil mills with highly polluted environments exceeded this value. High correlation coefficients (<0.99) were obtained between the contents of benzo(a)pyrene and the sum of the nine PAHs for all of the analyzed categories, suggesting that benzo(a)pyrene could be used as a marker of the content of these nine PAHs in olive oils.
Rodríguez-Acuña
Rafael
R
Instituto Andaluz de Tecnologia, C/ Leonardo da Vinci 2, E-41092 Seville, Spain. rrodriguez@iat.es
del Carmen Pérez-Camino
María
M
Cert
Arturo
A
Moreda
Wenceslao
W
D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene / Q000032:analysis*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D000069463:Olive Oil; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000032:analysis*; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D013030:Spain
D000069463:Olive Oil; D010938:Plant Oils; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene