Method Validation and Determination of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Vegetable Oils by HPLC-FLD

The aim of this work was to determine the level of contamination of different groups of vegetable oils available on the Polish market with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, i.e. benzo(a)pyrene and sum of benzo(a)pyrene, benz(a)anthracene, benzo(b)fluoranthene and chrysene, the content of which in foodstuffs is limited by Commission Regulation (EU) 2015/1125 of 10 July 2015. The research materials were refined rapeseed oils, sunflower oils, olive pomace oil, rapeseed oils with olive oil and unrefined soybean and coconut oils. The research methods included process of saponification of the vegetable oils, extraction of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons fraction, clean-up by use a column packed with aluminum oxide and elution by petroleum ether, and then quantitative and qualitative determination of by high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection method. Values of limit of detection and limit of quantification obtained during validation of the method were 0.18 and 0.25 μg/kg, respectively, and were significantly lower than the respective maximum values given in Commission Regulation (EU) 836/2011. The highest polyaromatic hydrocarbons content was found in unrefined coconut and soybean oils. The benzo(a)pyrene content and sum of benzo(a)pyrene, benz(a)anthracene, benzo(b)fluoranthene and chrysene in all the tested sample did not exceed the maximum levels given in Commission Regulation (EU) 2015/1125.