Abstract:

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are among the organic pollutants sought both in the various environmental compartments (water, soil, air, etc.) and in food intended for human consumption. They are a group of persistent organic pollutants that are potentially mutagenic and carcinogenic. Thus, the present study aims to determine the PAH levels in the flesh of local poultry also called bicycle chickens (gallus gallusdomesticus). Ten (10) composite samples of chickens were collected in Karakoro, a locality located in the department of Korhogo in the north of Cote dIvoire. After the extraction and purification steps, the samples were analyzed on a Shimadzu brand HighPerformance Liquid Chromatograph (HPLC) equipped with a fluorimetric detector. The measured PAHs, eight (8) molecules in number, are classified among the priority substances to be researched in the context of food safety (fluoranthene, pyrene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, benzo(a)pyrene, indeno(1 ,2,3-cd) pyrene, benzo (g,h,i) perylene, benzo (a) anthracene, benzo (b) fluoranthene). The results obtained showed the presence of these molecules in the samples analyzed at concentrations higher than the European Union (EU) standard for some. On the other hand, all the PAHs determined have concentrations lower than the Codex Alimentarius standard.

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