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ABSTRACT
Persistent organic pollutants are characterised by their chemical structure, environmental persistence and toxicity to human and wildlife populations. The production of these chemicals is regulated and restricted. However, they continue to be detected in the environment. In this study, the occurrence of 11 congeners of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs 28, 52, 77, 81, 101, 118, 126, 138, 153, 169, and 180) was investigated in 90 honey samples produced in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. The samples were from different municipalities, production systems and floral origins. Extraction was performed using the modified QuEChERS method (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe) followed by gas chromatography with micro-electron capture detector. The results showed the presence of four congeners (PCBs 28, 77, 81, 101) in 15 honey samples confirming the environmental contamination in Southern Brazil. Among the contaminated samples, no significant differences were identified regarding the production system and floral origin.
Acknowledgments
This study was funded in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior – Brasil (CAPES) – Finance Code 001. The authors would like to thank the beekeepers who provided the honey samples and the Universidade Federal de Santa Maria for their support.
Declaration of interest
There is no interest or financial benefit related to the research.
Data availability statement
Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analyzed in this study.
Supplementary material
Supplemental data for this article can be accessed on the publisher’s website.