Determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metal contents of barbecue beef, fish and chicken

Abstract

The purpose of this work is to investigate the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metal contents of barbecue fish, beef and chicken obtained from Minna, Niger state, using standard procedures. Extraction of PAHs was done using sonification method. n-Hexane, dichloromethane (DCM) and mixture of both (1:1) were used as extractants. PAHs content was analysed using GC-MS while the heavy metal analysis was done using AAS. The results obtained from the study showed that grilled chicken had the highest content of total PAHs (214.41μg/kg) while beef had the least (25.71μg/kg). 45 to 98% of the fractions of PAHs observed in the samples were 4 and 5 member rings. Benzo (a) pyrene was detected in all the samples analysed, its concentrations varied from 1.82 to 12.89 μg/kg. The concentrations of PAHs in the grilled samples were generally higher than the control. The efficiency of the solvents from this study were in the order: n-hexane > (nhexane: DCM) > DCM. With the exception of Pb which had a concentration of 3.17 mg/kg to 4.68 mg/kg, other metals investigated were within safe limit based on international standard. The concentrations of the metals in chicken and beef samples were in the general order: Fe>Pb>Cu>Mn. There is need to continually check the contents of PAHs and heavy metals in barbecue food since they have bio-accumulative tendencies and are deleterious to health.