Supercritical fluid extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from liver samples and determination by HPLC-FL

An extraction/clean-up procedure by SFE was developed for isolating PAHs fr om liver samples for subsequent HPLC-FL determination of ten PAHs in the en riched extract. Recoveries (90-115%) and RSD % (less than or equal to 7.7) were satisfactory. When applied to 11 samples of bird of prey (Tyto alba) p rotected species and classified of special interest, from the Galicia (Nort hwest to Spain), benzo[ghi]perylene and indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene were undetec table; chrysene and benzo[a]pyrene are only detected in one sample; benzo[a ]anthracene and benzo[k]fluoranthene are only quantified in one sample and benzo[b]fluoranthene in two samples. The other PAHs, anthracene, fluoranthe ne and pyrene are present in almost all the samples.