Presence and risks of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs in dietary plant supplements as elucidated by a combined DR CALUX® bioassay and GC-HRMS based approach

• Published in: Food additives & contaminants. Part A, Chemistry, analysis, control, exposure & risk assessment Chemistry, analysis, control, exposure & risk assessment, 2022-09, Vol.39 (9), p.1576-1590
• Main Authors: Akuamoa, Felicia, Hoogenboom, Ron L. A. P., Weide, Yoran, van der Weg, Guido, Rietjens, Ivonne M. C. M., Bovee, Toine F. H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agonists; Bioassay chromatography; Bioassays; Contaminants; Diet; Dietary supplements; Dioxins; GC/MS PAH Dioxins Dioxins; Herbal medicine; PCB; Polychlorinated biphenyls; Polychlorinated dibenzodioxins; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Raw materials; Silica; Silicon dioxide; TEQs Dietary supplements
• ISSN: 1944-0049; 1944-0057
• DOI: 10.1080/19440049.2022.2094473

Plant-based dietary supplements may contain undesirable contaminants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, dioxins and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs) due to the sources of raw materials or processing methods used. The presence of these contaminants in a series of herbal supplements sold on the Ghanaian market for improving sexual performance was examined using the DR CALUX ® bioassay in combination with GC-HRMS analysis. Overall, cell responses at 4 and 48 h exposure to extracts prepared without an acid-silica clean-up were relatively higher than the responses obtained from extracts prepared with an acid-silica clean-up. This indicated that the 40 supplements contained only low levels of stable aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonists like polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and dl-PCBs, while some contained substantial amounts of less stable AhR-agonists. Ten supplements selected for confirmation with GC-HRMS analysis contained PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs at levels ranging from 0.01 to 0.19 pg toxic equivalent (TEQ)/g only, while the level of the sum of 4 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (Σ4PAHs) representing less stable AhR agonists, ranged from not detected (ND) to 25.5 ng/g. These concentrations were in line with the responses observed in the DR CALUX ® bioassay. The concentration of PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs corresponded to estimated daily intakes (EDIs) ranging from 0.01 to 1.20 pg TEQ/day, or 0.001 to 0.12 pg TEQ/kg bw/week for a 70 kg bw consumer, which was below the established tolerable weekly intake (TWI) of 2 pg TEQ/kg bw/week, thus indicating low concern for consumers' health. Similarly, the EDIs based on the detected Σ4PAHs in supplements ranged from 7.2 to 111 ng/day, or 0.1 to 1.6 ng/kg bw/day, which corresponded to MOE values above 10,000, indicating a low health concern.