Abstract
Smoked catfish (Clarias gariepinus) was examined with the aim of determining the effect of smoking duration on the extent of accumulation of the sixteen US EPA priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The levels of PAHs in the smoked catfish samples were obtained using gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector after extracting with nhexane by soxhlet extraction technique. The result showed detection of all the 16 PAHs in the smoked catfish. Higher molecular weight PAHs having ≥4 rings showed considerably higher concentration as compared to PAHs that had a lower ring. The mean concentrations of total PAH in the investigated smoked catfish showed mean values of 1.91 μg/kg, 2.10 μg/kg, 2.32 μg/kg, 2.58 μg/kg respectively. The ΣBaPeq (0.113) and ΣPAH (10.642 μg/kg) levels are within the range of European Commission Regulations maximum tolerable limits of 2 to 5 μg/kg respectively. The result indicated that the PAH accumulation is directly proportional to the smoking period. Diagnostic ratio (Ant/(Ant+Phen) ratio <0.10) conducted showed wood combustion as the main sources of contamination in the analyzed smoked catfish.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: UNIOSUN Journal of Engineering and Environmental Sciences
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
