Study of the contamination of sugarcane juice by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH)

• Grant number: 06/52186-7
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: February 01, 2007
• End date: July 31, 2008
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Science
• Principal Investigator: Silvia Amelia Verdiani Tfouni
• Grantee: Silvia Amelia Verdiani Tfouni
• Host Institution: Instituto de Tecnologia de Alimentos (ITAL). Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios (APTA). Secretaria de Agricultura e Abastecimento (São Paulo - Estado). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbonates (HPAs) are compounds formed from the incomplete burning of organic material and constitute an important class of environmental pollutants, many of them proven to be carcinogenic. In Brazil, the harvesting of sugarcane is done generally after the burning of the cane fields. This procedure could result in the contamination of the sugarcane by HPAs, and consequently, of the products obtained from the cane. In the present study, samples of juices commercialized in the cities of Campinas and Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, will be collected at two different times in the year and analyzed for the presence of 4 HPAs. The results of this research should identify the levels of contamination of the juices on sale and verify possible seasonal differences in the levels of contamination. (AU)