Probabilistic risk exposure of benzo[a]pyrene in edible oils in Egypt

ABSTRACT

Benzo [a] pyrene (BaP) is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, which is believed to be carcinogenic in humans. In this study, we aimed to develop an analytical protocol for the detection of BaP and apply it to the measurement of BaP in different types of edible oil. The method was validated using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC), which yielded a limit of quantification of 0.1 µg/kg and a limit of detection of 0.04 µg/kg. The recovery achieved was 100.8%–103.3%, with a relative difference of less than 20%, and a correlation coefficient (R) of 0.99999 for the dynamic linear range. The measurement uncertainty was ± 24.6% at k = 2 and a 95% confidence level. The analysis of 83 different oil samples from Egyptian markets showed that 16% were contaminated with BaP, and 84% were not. We performed a dietary risk assessment of BaP. The estimated daily dietary intake of BaP in edible oil was 0.046 ng/kg/day for adults, and for children, it was 0.015 ng/kg/day. This risk measure is not significantly high, but setting new regulations helps us to build knowledge about the presence of this pollutant in the diet, also to use this knowledge to provide good health advice to consumers and enlighten the regulatory authorities.

KEYWORDS:

• Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP)
• health risk assessment
• oil
• HPLC
• PAHs
• Egypt

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).