Quantitative Analysis and Risk Assessment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Using Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry from Herbs and Spices Distributed in South Korea

In this study, four polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (4PAHs: benz[a]anthracene, chrysene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP)) were quantified in 110 herb and spice products marketed in South Korea. A validated gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method achieved high sensitivity with limits of detection (LOD) ranging from 0.08 to 0.18 μg/kg and limits of quantification (LOQ) ranging from 0.24 to 0.55 μg/kg, with recoveries consistent with the Association of Official...