Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Carcinogens in Commercial Seafoods

Abstract

Fresh and processed commercial seafoods were analyzed for the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon carcinogen benzo(a)pyrene using a thin-layer chromatographic separation technique and quantitation by fluorescence. Commercial samples of vertebrate fish did not contain detectable levels, except where fish were packed with vegetable oil, an exogenous source of carcinogens. Levels in most shellfish samples were generally less than 10 ng/g wet weight, but occasional samples contained up to 36 ng/g. Crab and shrimp samples contained little or no benzo(a)pyrene (ND to 0.5 ng/g). Commercial lobsters contained 0.8 to 7.9 ng/g. The source of contamination of lobsters was further investigated, utilizing high pressure liquid chromatography to measure 13 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon isomers. Freshly caught lobsters had less than 1 ng/g benzo(a)pyrene. Lobsters which had been kept in a commercial tidal pound constructed of creosoted timber contained highly elevated levels of benzo(a)pyrene and other carcinogenic hydrocarbons, including chrysene, benzo(a)anthracene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, dibenz(a,h)anthracene, and indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene The maximum level of benzo(a)pyrene was 2300 ng/g wet weight in digestive gland, and 281 ng/g in edible tail meat. These levels are substantially higher than previously reported for any foodstuff, and are most probably attributable to creosote contamination during impoundment. Key words: benzo(a)pyrene, polycyclic (polynuclear) aromatic hydrocarbon, carcinogen, seafood, lobster, shellfish, creosote