A High Throughput Method for Measuring Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Seafood Using QuEChERS Extraction and SBSE

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Food Safety Analysis
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Method NMFS-NWFSC-59 2004 is the standard for analyzing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contamination in seafood.
• Events like the Deepwater Horizon oil spill necessitate methods with higher throughput for PAH analysis in seafood.
• Existing methods face limitations in processing capacity, demanding faster analytical techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a novel, high-throughput method for quantifying polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in seafood.
• To combine Stir Bar Sorptive Extraction (SBSE) for PAH concentration and QuEChERS for matrix interference elimination.
• To ensure the new method achieves comparable accuracy and sensitivity to the established NOAA 2004 method.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Stir Bar Sorptive Extraction (SBSE) to concentrate trace polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from seafood samples.
• Employed the quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) extraction strategy to manage complex food matrices.
• Analyzed oysters, fish, and shrimp, validating the method against NIST SRM 1974b mussel tissue.

Main Results:

• Achieved acceptable recovery rates ranging from 65% to 138% for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).
• Demonstrated high sensitivity with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.02 ppb and a limit of quantitation (LOQ) of 0.06 ppb.
• Confirmed method equivalency to NOAA 2004, with significantly higher throughput.

Conclusions:

• The combined SBSE-QuEChERS method provides a sensitive, reliable, and efficient alternative for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) analysis in seafood.
• This method enhances analytical capacity for seafood safety monitoring, particularly after environmental contamination events.
• The validated technique supports more rapid assessment of PAH contamination in diverse seafood species.