Determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH4) in licorice root (Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.) using dispersive solid–liquid extraction coupled with HPLC-FLD
摘要
This study aimed to quantify four polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH4) in licorice roots. A novel analytical method, referred to as “dispersive solid–liquid extraction,” was applied to detect the PAH4 in licorice roots by HPLC coupled with fluorescence detector (FLD). Extraction solvent, adsorbent type, and amount were optimized to improve the extraction efficiency and achieve satisfactory clean-up. The satisfactory linearity, limit of detection, limit of quantification, recovery, and precision of PAH4 were acquired. Benzo[a]anthracene, chrysene, and benzo[a]pyrene were detected in some licorice root samples, whereas benzo[b]fluoranthene was not detected in any sample. None of the samples contained PAH4 levels higher than the maximum limit (MLs) established by the European Commission and Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. These results suggest that the dispersive solid–liquid extraction method combined with HPLC-FLD is effective for the analysis of PAH4 in licorice roots and can be applied to a wide range of herbal medicines.