Reliability assessment of a gas chromatographic method for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in olive oil

A quality control test was developed for a gas chromatographic method to determine polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in olive oil. Fifteen oil specimens were fortified with eight three- to six-ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons at levels of between 3.0 (approximate detection limit) and 360 micrograms/kg. Three sets of five equally fortified specimens were obtained and assayed at random by three operators. For each fortification level, the means of recovery yield were in the range 56-107%, and were independent of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon congener specificity and the operator's capability. Excluding subsets of data associated with both the fortification level at the detection limit and a deviant polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon term (benzo[ghi]perylene), an overall mean accuracy of 96% and a precision of 7% were achieved.