| Abstract: | A rapid method for the quantification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in camellia oil is reported. The analytes were extracted from camellia oil using 1:1 (v/v) cyclohexane/ethyl acetate, isolated by gel permeation chromatography, and determined by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. The method features good sensitivity, as the limits of quantification were from 0.33 to 0.67 microgram per kilogram, which are lower than those of regulatory maximum residue limits. Intra- and inter-day precision ranged from 1.19 to 4.52 percent and 1.86 to 3.56 percent, respectively. The recoveries were 79.3–87.9, 85.3–93.4, and 89.6–97.3 percent at fortified levels of 10, 25, and 50 microgram per kilogram, respectively. Moreover, the method is rapid, requiring less than three hours, in comparison to traditional approaches, which require more than twenty-four hours. The developed method was also inexpensive in terms of solvent use and employed to determine polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in five camellia oil products. High concentrations of acenaphthene, benza]anthracene, benzob]fluoranthene, benzok]fluoranthene, and benzoa]pyrene were present in samples produced through extrusion and high temperature pressing. The results suggest that camellia oil processing should be monitored to minimize the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. |
