Analysis of Benzo(a)pyrene in Medicinal Herbs

Sae Ram Lee*, Ae Kyung Kim, Sung Dan Kim, Hyun Kyung Lee, Hee Jin Lee, Hoe Jin Ryu, Jung Mi Lee, In Sil Yu and Kweon Jung.

Seoul Metropolitan Government Research Institute Of Public Health and Environment, Gwacheon 13818, Korea

Abstract

Benzo(a)pyrene in commercial herbal medicines was analysed using the high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detector. The total 40 samples of medicinal herbs not included in the KFDA notification were used in this study.(Amomi Tsao-Ko Fructus, Cimicifugae Rhizoma, Cyperi Rhizoma, Magnoliae Cortex, Scutellariae Radix, Scrophulariae Radix) The calibration curve of benzo(a)pyrene was linear over the concentration range of 3～40 µg/kg with correlation coefficient of above 0.999. The limit of detection(LOD) and quantitation(LOQ) of benzo(a)pyrene was 0.2 µg/kg and 0.6 µg/kg, respectively. Benzo(a)pyrene in 9(22.5%) samples was detected in 6 kinds of medicinal herbs. The average level of the total sample was 1.85 µg/kg.(ranged from non-detection to 30.81 µg/kg)