Accessibility of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon content in fishes from the region of the 2019 oil spill on the northeast Brazil coast

In August 2019, Brazil experienced its largest large oil spill, which impacted extensive areas and significantly affected the northeastern region, particularly Pernambuco. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), major oil components, are critical for assessing fish contamination risks. This study presents two sample pretreatment methods for fish samples - ultrasound-enhanced air-assisted liquid–liquid microextraction (UE-AA-LLME) for low molar mass PAHs, and matrix solid-phase dispersion for high molar mass PAHs - followed by a Gas-Chromatography coupled to Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS) detection. These two sample preparation methods enable achieve recoveries between 60 % and 120 %. Twenty-four samples from six fish species collected between 2021 and 2022 were analyzed. The results revealed that the levels of benzo[a]pyrene were below 2.0 μg kg⁻¹, and the total of benzo[a]pyrene, benz[a]anthracene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, and chrysene remained below 12 μg kg⁻¹. These results indicate that the fish sourced locally pose no health risks according to European Commission Regulation No. 835/2011 and demonstrate a significant reduction in risks related to petroleum contamination in the region.