Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and pesticides in milk powder

Abstract

This Research Communication reports analysis of 37 compounds comprising polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), organochlorine and organophosphate pesticides (OCPS and OPPS) in milk powder (one brand each of commercial infant formulae, follow-on formulae and baby formulae purchased from a local supermarket in Romania). The selected analytes were investigated using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), gas chromatography with electron capture detector (GC-ECD) and gas chromatography with thermionic sensitive detection (GC-TSD). The estimated limits of detection for most target analytes were in the μg/kg level (range 0·001-0·320 µg/kg). The purpose of the study was to determine the selected analytes, to assess the exposure of babies and infants and to produce data for comparison with tolerable limits according to the European Union Regulations. In most of the samples the organochlorine pesticides values were under the limit of detection. Exceptions were heptachlor epoxide and endosulfan sulphate, the last of which was found in all analysed samples at low concentrations. We also found detectable levels of ethoprophos, parathion-methyl, chlorpyrifos, prothiofos, guthion, disulfoton and fenchlorphos in most of the analysed samples. Benzo[a]pyrene, which is used as an indicator for the presence of PAHs, was not detected in selected samples. The low level of exposure to contaminants indicates that there are no health risks for the infants and babies that consume this brand of milk powder formulae.

Detection, Risk Assessment, and Survey of Four Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Markers in Infant Formula Powder

“…e extraction of PAHs in infant formula powders includes direct saponification [1,2,23], solvent extraction [22,25,26], and dispersive solid phase extraction, and a simplified version of conventional method named the quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) extraction method has been used for the multiresidue analysis. e analytical method for the determination of the US EPA priority pollutant of 16 PAHs in edible oils was developed by an isotope dilution GC-MS method [27], which is a reference for this study, and all parameters are listed in Figure 1.…”

Distribution and Health Hazards of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Egyptian Milk and Dairy-Based Products

“…Only two of the analyzed samples (3 M and 14 M) contained seven of carcinogenic PAHs at a mean concentration (0.46 µg/g) that is higher than the accepted range set by EPA [6].…”

“…In addition, the lipophilicity of PAHs results in their accumulation in animal adipose tissue and excretion in milk [6]. Milk and dairy products are the main components of the daily diet of humans and it is also of special importance as it can act as a complete food source [7].…”

Presencia de hidrocarburos aromáticos policíclicos (HAP) en leche comercializada en la Ciudad de México, evaluando diferentes métodos de extracción

“…No existe un método oficial para la determinación de HAP en leche, existiendo dos tendencias en la identificación y cuantificación de los mismos: 1) por cromatografía gaseosa empleando detector de ionización de flama y espectrometría de masas (15,16) , 2) por cromatografía de líquidos de alta resolución con detector de fluorescencia (7,8,17) . Para obtener mejores resultados en la preparación de las muestras se han empleado diferentes procedimientos que incluyen saponificación, extracción líquido-líquido (LLE) y limpieza por cromatografía en columna o más recientemente, extracción en fase sólida (SPE) (18,19,20) .…”