Determination of pentachlorophenol in animal tissues: a Canadian perspective

Analytical methods for pentachlorophenol (PCP) residues in edible animal tissue have been reviewed, with particular reference to gas chromatographic methods of analysis. Results of analyses demonstrate that significant residues of PCP can persist for several weeks in animals exposed to contaminated bedding. National surveys in Canada have found that the incidence of PCP residues in pork in excess of 0.1 ppm was reduced from 32% of survey samples in 1981-1982 to 6.6% of samples tested in 1987-1988. An interlaboratory sample exchange among Canadian laboratories demonstrated that the PCP analytical method currently used by Agriculture Canada could be successfully transferred to other laboratories. An exchange of samples between regulatory laboratories of Agriculture Canada and the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) demonstrated equivalency of results for the 2 methods currently used in the respective laboratories, with relative standard deviations for analytical results ranging from 4.4 to 22.2%.