CONTENT OF POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS IN FISH AFTER HEAT TREATMENT.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are predominant pollutants in the aquatic environment that can cause a variety of potentially toxic effects, affecting the entire ecosystem. PAHs were evaluated following the application of different heat treatments to fish meat by liquid chromatography (HPLC). The following polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were determined: acenaphthene, anthracene, benzo(a)anthracene, benzo(a)pyrene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, benzo(gy)pyrylene, chrysene, dibenzo(a,h)anthracene, phenanthrene, fluorene, fluoranthene, indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene, naphthalene and pyrene. The samples analyzed were from raw trout (Salvelinus fontinalis); fried in sunflower oil; fried in olive oil; fried with rapeseed oil; baked in the oven and fried in lard. The brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) was harvested from the Mărișel area, Cluj county. The highest values for the hydrocarbons analyzed from raw fish were for naphthalene (5.51±0.21) and benzo(a)anthracene (2.47±0.06). The trout fried in sunflower oil showed the highest values for anthracene (10.34±0.09) and pyrene (10.24±0.30) and Indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene was <0.05. Trout fried with rapeseed oil showed the highest values for anthracene (10.34±0.09), followed by pyrene (10.24±0.30) and indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene was below <0.05. Trout fried in olive oil showed very high values for pyrene (51.37±0.63) and fluoranthene (20.36±0.89) and dibenzo(a,h)anthracene was <0.05. According to this study, fish meat has the highest percentage of PAHs following the frying process. These compounds play a very important role in the ecosystem, therefore the most affected is the consumer due to the carcinogenic effect they can cause on the body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]