Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sugarcane juice

Abstract

a b s t r a c tSugarcane juice is a common beverage in many Brazilian cities. At harvesting season most sugarcane plantation is burnt and this procedure has been shown as an important source of PAHs emission. In the present study 80 samples of sugarcane juice collected from two Brazilian cities, in two different periods, were analysed for the presence of four PAHs: benz(a)anthracene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(k)fluoranthene and benzo(a)pyrene. PAHs were detected in 50% of the samples. The samples collected between harvests presented mean sums of PAHs of 0.013 lg/kg and 0.012 lg/kg, while the samples collected during harvest presented mean sums of 0.053 lg/kg and 0.055 lg/kg. A higher concentration and incidence of PAHs in the juices collected in the harvest period was verified, corroborating the burning of the crops as a source of sugarcane juice contamination.

HPLC-FLD simultaneous determination of 13 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: validation of an analytical procedure for soybean oils

“…The analytical procedures mostly used for PAHs involve several steps with an extensive clean-up and require large volumes of organic solvents. 2,11,18,[21][22][23] Solid-phase extraction (SPE) has been successfully applied, showing good selectivity and recovery, requiring smaller amounts of solvent for elution and resulting in shorter time analysis. [23][24][25] Although several methods for different sets of PAHs have been described in the literature, no one has designed for a simultaneous HPLC determination of the 13 PAHs, considered genotoxic and carcinogenic by the JECFA, in edible oils.…”

“…1 Thus, variable levels of PAHs have been reported in different food categories and beverages including vegetables and fruits, cereals, oils and fats, smoked products, coffee and tea. [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] PAHs were evaluated by the International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS), the Scientific Committee on Food (SCF) and by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). SCF concluded that 15 Vol.…”

“…1,13 Studies conducted in Brazil and in many other countries have identified specific food categories as important sources of human exposure to PAHs, highlighting the oil and fat group. 3,4,11,[14][15][16][17][18] The presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in vegetable oils may be attributed to (i) atmospheric contamination of plant material, (ii) direct drying of the plant material with combustion smoke before extraction, (iii) contamination through the solvent extraction and (iv) uptake by the oil plants from contaminated soils. 2,14 During the refining processes, the concentrations of these contaminants can be drastically reduced.…”

Presença de hidrocarbonetos policíclicos aromáticos em produtos alimentícios e a sua relação com o método de cocção e a natureza do alimento

“…HPA são compostos de baixa hidrossolubilidade, mostrando-se geralmente muito lipossolúveis; são produzidos por combustão incompleta ou pirólise de matéria orgânica (HOWARD; FAZIO, 1980;DANYI et al, 2009;TFOUNI et al, 2009). Sua síntese é influenciada pelos seguintes fatores: tipo de biomassa presente, pressão, quantidade de oxigênio disponível e, principalmente, de calor (CONDE et al, 2004).…”

“…Foram coletadas amostras de caldo de cana nos municípios paulistas de Ribeirão Preto e Campinas, buscando determinar a concentração de benzo(a)antraceno, benzo(b) fluorantreno, benzo(k)fluorantreno e benzo(a)pireno, além da influência do processo de queima da cana no nível destes constituintes (TFOUNI et al, 2009). As amostras coletadas na época em que a cana é queimada mostraram resultados quatro vezes maiores do que as coletadas na entressafra, apontando a queima da cana com uma importante fonte de contaminação.…”