Investigation of 33 types of honey samples: application of an efficient dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction technique coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to determine 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Abstract

In this research, for the first time, 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in 33 types of honey samples have been analyzed using an efficient, sensitive and rapid high-density solvent-microextraction (HDS-ME) technique coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Important parameters in the extraction process were optimized using central composite design (CCD). Good linear relationships were chosen for 16 PAHs in the range of 1–200 ng g⁻¹, with a correlation coefficient (R²) higher than 0.94. The limits of detection and limits of quantification were 0.3–0.8 ng g⁻¹ and 0.9–2.4 ng g⁻¹, respectively. The relative standard deviations for six similar analyses at the optimized point were less than 9%. The recoveries of the proposed method were obtained between 86% and 102%. High recovery, low consumption of the solvent, speed, ease of use and good elimination of matrix interference compared to other methods are the advantages of the proposed method. The performance of the present work was confirmed by the standard addition method and satisfactory results were obtained. The concentrations of PAHs in honey samples were found lower than 11 ng g⁻¹.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Honey bee
• polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
• microextraction
• gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Acknowledgment

This study has been supported by Department of Food Science and Technology, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences, Food Science and Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. We gratefully acknowledge their assistance.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.