QuEChERS method for the determination of PAH compounds in Sardinia sea urchin (Paracentrotus lividus) roe,using gas chromatography ITMS-MS analysis

Sea urchin roe (Paracentrotus lividus) is an excellent biomarker and it has been usedas a test for toxicology study of chemical pollution of restricted marine areas, infact,unlike mussels which filter water it feeds mainly of micro and macro algae. Therefore itnot influenced by sea tide and meets better the situation of local pollution. A modifiedQuEChERS extraction method coupled with gaschromatography iontrap massspectrometry (ITMS/MS) analysis has been used to set up a method for thedetermination of 17 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Paracentrotus lividussea urchin roe. A method validation was performed and the following parameters havebeen determined: instrument limit of detection (LOD) and of quantification (LOQ),precision, recovery and linearity. The method carried out showed good LOD under 1.5ug/kg and LOQ under 5 ug/kg for all PAHs studied and were in close agreement withquality criteria described in the Commission Regulation (EC) No 333/2007 concerningthe PAH benzo[a]pyrene in foodstuffs. Precision and linearity were in accordance withEC SANCO/10684/2009 values. For all PAHs recoveries ranged from 72 to 119 %,with RSD ranging from 3 to 17 % in the most unfavorable case.