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 used as a test for toxicology study of chemical pollution of restricted marine areas; in fact, unlike mussels which filter water, it feeds mainly on micro- and macroalgae. Therefore, it is not influenced by the sea tide and meets better the situation of local pollution. A modified Quick Easy Cheap Effective Rugged Safe extraction method coupled with gas chromatography ion trap mass spectrometry analysis has been used to set up a method for the determination of 17 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in P. lividus sea urchin roe. A method validation was performed, and the following parameters have been determined: instrument limit of detection (LOD) and of quantification (LOQ), precision, recovery, and linearity. The method carried out showed good LOD under 1.5 mu g/kg and LOQ under 5 mu g/kg for all PAHs studied, and these values were in close agreement with quality criteria described in the Commission Regulation (EC) no. 333/2007 concerning the PAH benzo[a]pyrene in foodstuffs. Precision and linearity were in accordance with EC 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.