Determination of Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Food Samples by Selective Pressurized Liquid Extraction Using Copper(II) Isonicotinate as Online Cleanup Adsorbent

Abstract

In this study, copper(II) isonicotinate was first used as an online cleanup adsorbent in selective pressurized liquid extraction (SPLE) for determination of trace residues of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in fatty food samples. The adsorbent-to-sample ratio, extraction temperature, extraction time, recycle times, etc. were optimized. The PCBs in food samples of pork, chicken meat, and clam meat were detected by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The detection limit (S/N = 3) ranged from 0.2 ng/g wet weight (PCB 18) to 2.5 ng/g wet weight (PCB 66). Relative standard deviations (%RSDs) were lower than 12.5 %. The mean recovery was in the range of 82.4–105.1 %. Certified reference materials were analyzed with acceptable results. It was exhibited that the copper(II) isonicotinate showed higher purification capacity than other cleanup adsorbents for extraction of PCBs in fatty food. The proposed method which involved extraction-cleanup in one step can be a promising sample preparation method for food analysis.