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 Analytical Chemists guidelines. Among the tested items, oregano contained the highest BaP concentrations with 7.13 µg/kg, while overall concentrations of the sum of 4PAHs remained below European Union limits. The BaP-based toxic equivalent (TEQ_BaP) and the toxic equivalent for the sum of 4PAHs (TEQ_Σ4PAHs) were 7.13 and 7.50 µg/kg, respectively, with oregano showing the highest values. Risk assessment using the margin of exposure (MOE) showed all values exceeded 10⁶, indicating negligible health concern. These findings provide a basis for continuous monitoring and regulatory management of PAHs in herbs and spices.