Abstract: Using molecularly imprinted solid phase extraction, a gas chromatography-isotope dilution mass spectrometry (GC-IDMS) method was developed for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in meat samples. Naphthalene-D8 was used as an internal standard, and a mixed solvent of n-hexane-dichloromethane (7:3, V/V) was used as an extraction solvent. The sample preparation consisted of homogenization, ultrasonic extraction, centrifugation, and purification by molecularly imprinted solid phase extraction cartridge. The qualitative and quantitative analysis were conducted under optimized instrumental conditions. The calibration curves showed a good linearity within the concentration range of 5–100 ng/mL with correlation coefficient no less than 0.999 9 and the limit of detection (LOD) was 0.125–0.625 μg/kg for meat and meat products. The recoveries at three spiked levels ranged from 85.7% to 109% with relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 0.75%–4.90%. The results indicated that this method was efficient, sensitive and accurate and could be successfully applied in the quantification of PAHs in meat.

Key words: polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), gas chromatography-isotope diluted mass spectrometry (GC-IDMS), molecularly imprinted solid phase extraction (MISPE), meat