Fast-GC/HRMS to quantify the EU priority PAH

For the analysis of the 15 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) classified as priority from the Scientific Committee on Food (SCF) and benzo[c]fluorene (BcL) assessed to be relevant by the Joint FAO/WHO Experts Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) in food, a sensitive analytical method is necessary. In the past, many methods were established for only the analysis of the 16 priority PAH recommended by the US Environmental Protection Agency (16 EPA-PAH) but not for the 15 SCF-PAH and BcL. Therefore, at the Max-Rubner-Institut, Federal Research Institute of Nutrition and Food in Kulmbach, Germany, an analytical method with a runtime of 72 min was developed. To shorten this runtime without a loss of separation, a Fast-GC/high resolution MS (HRMS) method with a runtime of only 25 min using a TR-50ms column (10 m x 0.1 mm x 0.1 microm) was created. The repeatability (n = 3) of spiked PAH concentrations in test-matrix tea ranged from 0.1 to 11%. The analytical parameters LOD (0.01-0.02 microg/kg) and LOQ (0.03-0.06 microg/kg) also in the test-matrix tea were determined. A good linearity for all PAH (R(2) >0.99) and averaged recoveries from 75 to 117% in the concentration range of 1-20 microg/kg were achieved.