DETERMINATION OF PAHs IN COCOA SAMPLES USING D-SPE WITH DIFFERENT SORBENTS

Abstract

The aim of this study was the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in cocoa samples by QuEChERS method preceded by the optimisation of sample preparation step using dispersive solid phase extraction (d-SPE) with different sorbents (florisil, Bond Elut ENV and C18) and different final methods of the extract preconcentration. The use of florisil + C18 + LLE gave the best results of the recovery and the cleanest extracts of the samples. In the study of real samples of cocoa, compounds belonging to light PAHs were mostly identified. The highest value was observed for phenanthrene (60.04-79.04 μg/kg) and lowest for acenaphthylene (1.83-9.79 μg/kg). The content of the most dangerous heavy polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, including PAH markers, did not exceed the limits established by EU in any of investigated samples.