Alkylnaphthalenes, which includes 2,6 diisopropylnaphthalene (2,6-DIPN), are used regularly as lubricants in the automotive industry [1]. Increasingly, these substances are detected in foods such as tea, cereals, and herbs. These alkylnaphthalenes, and also the 2,6-diisopropylnaphthalene (2,6-DIPN), are part of the MOAH fraction of petroleum or mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOSH / MOAH) and, like in case of anthraquinone, the source of this is recycled packaging materials on recovered paper. Further potential sources for the findings are environmental contamination (particulate matter) and production (eg. drying step by combustion of coal or wood). It results polyaromatic cyclic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and also the substituted PAHs such as 9,10-anthraquinone [2] (oxidation product of anthracene) and 2,6-DIPN (diisopropyl substitute of naphthalene).
Beside that 2,6-DIPN is used as a growth regulator [3] (as well as chloropropham, for example, for storage against germination in potatoes). Therefore, positive findings in food have been evaluated as a residue (the possible approach as a growth regulator).
Our laboratory has developed a highly sensitive method to determine 2,6 Disopropyl-naphthalene with the LOQ of 0.01 mg/kg in tea, herbs and cereals.
[1] https://www.exxonmobilchemical.com/en/products/synthetic-base-stocks/alkylated-naphthalene
[2] A. Romanotto, K. Gassert, Determination Of The Source Of Anthraquinone In Organic Tea Production. Oral presentation. Chemical reaction in food, February 2017, Prague
[3] https://www3.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/reg_actions/registration/fs_PC-055803_01-Oct-03.pdf
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Contact: Dr. Anna Romanotto (anna.romanotto@pica-berlin.de) or Tel.: +4930 255660062