Determination of Perfluorinated Compounds Level of Domestic and Imported Crabs in South Korea

Abstract

Perfluorinated compounds(PFCs) are an organic fluorine compound that hydrogens of all of carbons compound were replaced by fluorine. PFCs were demonstrated for toxic effects by various studies. PFCs tend to accumulate because of the long half-life in vivo. Research on PFCs level of food material in South Korea is still in insufficient. In this study, we analyzed 19 PFCs in crab meat with LC-MSMS.A total of 151 crabs were collected from fish market of South Korea. The samples taken included countries of origin information; South Korea (n=104), China (n=37) and India (n=10). Crab samples were homogenized with water. Each sample was weighed (1g) and spiked 20 µl internal standard. PFCs were extracted from samples using ion-pairing extraction after enzyme hydrolysis. Quantitative analysis was performed with liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry(LC-MS/MS).As result, PFOA was detected in South Korean and Chinese crab samples. PFTrDA and PFDS levels were higher in Chinese crab than South Korean Crabs.Although the legal criteria of PFCs in food is not yet defined, the levels of PFCs in South Korean crabs were similar to or less than other studies performed in aboard; Belgium (PFOS ranged from 93 to 292 ppb), China (PFOS up to 82.2 ppb) and Japan (PFOA ranged from 5.6 to 14 ppb).