A number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
(PAHs) have been identified as carcinogens. For
non-smokers who do not work in industries that
produce PAHs, the main risk of PAH exposure
comes from dietary intake. Edible oils used in
food preparation have been identified as a
potential source of dietary PAH exposure. HPLC is
commonly used for determinations of PAHs, but
separation of these samples requires removal of
the oily matrix. Several solvent extraction and
cleanup techniques have been employed, but are
labor intensive and difficult to automate.