Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Organic Phase Extracted From Charcoal for Barbecue

Abstract

-Charcoal is a widely used product for barbecue, however, its quality for said use has not been well studied. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a class of carcinogenic compounds that can be present in charcoal. Thus, the objective of this study was to analyze the organic phase extracted from charcoal by organic solvents, regarding the presence of PAHs. For this, a commercial charcoal brand was acquired, collected in establishments in the city of Piracicaba, São Paulo. Complementary tests were carried out to identify the wood used in the production of charcoal, such as determination of humidity, apparent density, immediate composition, calorific value, and combustion index. The organic phase extracted from the charcoal using cyclohexane was analyzed in a gas chromatograph coupled to a mass spectrometer (GC/MS) for identification of a class of sixteen PAHs. In general, charcoal presented regular characteristics for barbecue. All PAHs analyzed were detected in the organic phase extracted from the charcoal, but the observed values were below the quantified limit determined Keywords: Quality of charcoal; Charcoal toxicity; Gas chromatography. HIDROCARBONETOS POLICÍCLICOS AROMÁTICOS NO COMPOSTO

The quality of artisanal charcoal sold for domestic use in Tucuruí municipality in the Brazilian Amazon

“…The amount of volatile materials in charcoal can influence the quality of cooked food, as foods can absorb the odour of these materials, thereby rendering them undesirable. Moreover, Júnior et al (2018) have reported that, depending on the amount and type of material used, charcoal can become toxic. Similarly, Kabir et al (2010); Wu et al (2015) emphasised that dermal contact over a prolonged period can have a detrimental effect on human health, owing to the presence of particulates and hydrocarbons.…”

Influência das técnicas de preparo e cocção na formação dos contaminantes hidrocarbonetos policíclicos aromáticos em carnes e embutidos: fatores de risco associados ao consumo

“…indicou o uso de carvão vegetal no churrasco para pescado, uma vez que os resultados para HPA8 foram inferiores aos obtidos pelo carvão do tipo briquete (madeira). Segundo DiasJunior et al (2017), amostras de carvão de eucalipto não apresentaram quantidades significativas de HPAs. O efeito da grelha na churrasqueira na formação de 16 HPAs em três tipos de carne (lombo bovino, barriga de porco e coxa de frango) foi avaliado por Kim, Cho e Jang (2021) usando três tipos de carvão vegetal, branco, preto e carvão extrusado (compressão de resíduos orgânicos, como cascas de coco).…”