Benzopyrene belongs to the group of pollutants. What is benzopyrene and why is it dangerous in food products?

Every day, almost every person encounters an aromatic substance in product compositions called benzopyrene. It is precisely because of the content of this component in chocolates famous brand Rochen was prohibited from importing this company's products into the Russian Federation. Let's figure out whether benzopyrene is as harmful as they say.

A typical polycyclic compound, having 20 carbon atoms and 12 hydrogen atoms in its chemical formula, has unique property, which in environmental terminology is called “bioaccumulation”. More simple and in clear language– this property can be defined as the ability to accumulate in all biological objects inhabiting our planet.

No sooner does the combustion process of any type of hydrocarbon fuel take place somewhere than its dangerous product, benzopyrene, is “born” and immediately saturates everything nearby: soil, water, plants. But the aromatic compound does not stop there; once it gets into some corner, it begins to rapidly grow and concentrate there. Unfortunately for all of us, the insidious benzo(a)pyrene likes to “grow and multiply” not only in environment, but also in the human body, and it is extremely difficult to remove it from there.

Important facts about benzopyrene in details and figures

Not only is humanity “willy-nilly” forced to be close to technogenic processes accompanied by the release of this chemical carcinogen, but also water and food products make a serious contribution to the accumulation of benzo(a)pyrene in our internal organs. The following products are especially rich in its content.

• Fragrant smoked fish and other smoked delicacies.
• Invigorating coffee and tart tea.
• Classic chocolate made from real roasted or dried cocoa beans.
• Meat and other products cooked on charcoal.
• Cheese spreads and sauces.
• Chickens and other poultry, grilled.
• Oil and fat products.
• Cereals, which are raw materials for grain products.

Harm from benzopyrene

A natural question arises: why is the ill-fated polycyclic hydrocarbon so dangerous that its content in water and food products is taken under special control? We have already mentioned earlier that Chemical substance"Benzapyrene" has carcinogenic properties.

Research

A group of scientists from different countries conducted a series of experiments on animals, from which sad conclusions were drawn. All 9 species of animals that were subjected to the introduction of an aromatic compound into the body acquired malignant neoplasms in the form of tumors during the experiment. The final verdict was that benzo(a)pyrene is capable of causing oncological diseases. The substance was classified as hazard class 1.

Does all of the above mean that the above products should be added to the “black list” and henceforth proudly walk past supermarket windows with aromatic smoked meats and chocolate products. Fans of coffee and tea should stop drinking their favorite drinks, and picnic lovers should forever forget about barbecues and meat smoking on coals. The answer is negative. It is good to follow the golden mean in everything and everywhere, remember the following rules.

• We can treat ourselves to smoked delicacies, but rarely and in limited quantities.
• Buy coffee, tea and chocolate from time-tested and quality-tested manufacturers.
• Do not drink untreated drinking water, especially from unknown natural sources;
• Do not hesitate to ask in stores and markets for declarations of compliance of questionable products with the requirements of technical safety regulations.
• Do not get carried away with recipes that contain a high content of oil and fat products.
• Know when to limit when consuming sauces, especially if you doubt their composition.

But that's not all. A terrible polycyclic compound, the evil and dangerous benzopyrene lies in wait for its victims not only in home kitchens and restaurants. About conscious benefit proper nutrition they write a lot and with pleasure, but when using any preventive measures, you should remember that you should not create panic out of nowhere. Restrictions in the diet should not lead to hungry fainting and mindless sitting on a useless diet. Try to spend more time outside the city, in places where harmful emissions from industrial enterprises have not yet reached, away from noisy highways and traffic jams. Remember that aromatic hydrocarbons are part of cigarette and campfire smoke. Positively minded people who love nature and healthy image life, no benz(a)pyrene is dangerous!

In the last 15–20 years, the number of recorded cases of lung cancer has almost equaled the number of cases of stomach cancer. Scientists believe that the probability of developing lung cancer up to 70 - 80% depends on external environment, and above all, from an increase in atmospheric air polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are dangerous carcinogens, and first of all, benzopyrene (benzopyrene), which is one of the most dangerous carcinogens and is a substance of the first hazard class.

The main source of benzopyrene is road transport, since its formation occurs during the combustion of hydrocarbon fuels (solid, liquid and gaseous). Compared to solid and liquid fuels, the combustion of gaseous fuels releases benzopyrene to a lesser extent. Especially a lot of benzopyrene is contained in the exhaust gases of cars when the engine is idling, during braking and acceleration.

The accumulation of benzopyrene in the environment occurs mainly in soil and to a much lesser extent in water. From the soil layers it enters the root system and all plant tissues. As studies show, the concentration of benzopyrene during its further movement throughout the entire trophic chain, at each of its stages, increases multiple times, i.e. 10 times in all natural objects.

Biological effects.

The chemical bonds that benzopyrene can form with the nucleotides of DNA molecules can cause severe types of deformities and defects in newborns. Considering that benzopyrene has the property of bioaccumulation, i.e. accumulate in various organs human body, it poses a danger to humans even at very low concentrations,
Benzopyrene is a typical chemical carcinogen found in the environment. Since benzopyrene is a relatively chemically stable substance, it can migrate from one biological object to another for quite a long time.
Many environmental processes, as well as biological objects themselves, do not have the ability to synthesize benzopyrene, but as a result of its stability and ability for long migrations, they are very often its secondary sources. Benzpyrene and its compounds have a pronounced mutagenic effect.

Benzopyrene molecules have the ability to combine with other surrounding similar elements, resulting in the formation of strong molecular systems with DNA. These systems are introduced into the DNA complex and expand the double helix, as a result of which the interconnections of almost all DNA molecules are gradually disrupted. When the helix unwinds, a new copy is formed, but already damaged, i.e., it is a genetic modification of the DNA molecule, thus mutations occur.

According to the results of research by a competent group of international experts, benzopyrene is classified as one of the chemical agents for which the carcinogenic effect on humans has been proven to be limited, but the carcinogenic effect of these chemical compounds on animals has been reliably proven.
In experimental studies, benzopyrene was tested on nine different animal species, including primates. Benzopyrene can enter the human body in various ways: through the skin and mucous membrane, respiratory organs, through the digestive tract with food, as well as by the transplacental route. When conducting studies to establish the effects of benzopyrene on biological organisms, malignant tumors were caused in all experimental animals with all methods of exposure used.
Of the many polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that have been found in environmental objects with different structures, benzopyrene is the most dangerous and, accordingly, has priority in research and monitoring.

Concentrations established by law.

In accordance with Russian legislation in the atmospheric air, the maximum permissible average daily concentrations of benzopyrene MPC s.s. = 0.1 μg per 100 cubic meters, i.e. 10-9 g per cubic meter. In soil, the maximum permissible concentration is 0.02 mg per kilogram in addition to the background level
In accordance with TR CU 021/2011 (Technical Regulations of the Customs Union), within the borders of the Customs Union, a maximum permissible concentration was established for most products - no more than 1 microgram per kilogram, for smoked fish no more than 5 micrograms per kilogram. In cereals for pregnant and nursing mothers, as well as in baby food, benzopyrene has a maximum concentration of less than 0.2 mcg per kilogram.
Unfortunately, the Commission Regulations European Union(EC EC No. 1881/2006 dated December 19, 2006) allows you to eat foods with a higher content of benzopyrene. Thus, according to the EU RoK, a standard of less than 2 micrograms per kilogram is allowed in fats and oils of vegetable origin, which is twice as high as the CU TR standards. In baby food, the content of benzopyrene up to 1 mcg per kilogram is allowed, which is five (!) times more than what is allowed by the CU TR.
That is why in 2013 the chief sanitary doctor Russian Federation Gennady Grigoryevich Onishchenko banned the supply of sweets produced by the Ukrainian company Roshen to Russia. As it turned out as a result of checking the products of the Roshen company, which were purchased in Moscow stores, 90% of the sweets do not meet the quality characteristics stated in the regulations. technical documentation. As it was established, the recipe composition of the sweets was violated (the total mass of vegetable fats did not correspond to the declared parameters of the technical documentation, there were significantly more of them), and the content of a toxic substance, benzo(a)pyrene, was found to be higher in white chocolate.

Sources of benzopyrene.

The main sources of benzo(a)pyrene entering the environment, which is subsequently consumed by humans, include: atmospheric air, heating (combustion of coal, wood and other biomass), internal combustion engines of automobile transport, asphalt pavements, coal tar and tobacco smoke.
As you know, tobacco smoke contains more than 40 known carcinogens and compounds, the most dangerous of which is benzopyrene. These toxic compounds contribute to the active formation and accumulation of carcinogens in the human body. Unfortunately, each individual person cannot have any impact on emissions of benzopyrene and other toxic compounds from the technogenic environment, but this can be leveled out or significantly reduced by measures active rest away from man-made sources of benzopyrene and reducing exposure to the body by following an appropriate diet. However, the voluntary introduction of a dangerous toxic substance, benzopyrene, into the body is at least surprising. After all, the border in the lungs separating the human body from the external environment is only 50 nm. It is easily permeable to toxic substances that, after absorption by the lungs, long time circulate in the body and accumulate not only in the lungs, but also in many other organs of the human body.
It has long been generally accepted that in the entire history of mankind, human dependence on tobacco is one of the most widespread and widespread epidemics - nicotine addiction. Along with it are alcoholism and drug addiction. According to data that WHO updates annually, tobacco ranks second in importance among established reasons death of a person in the world. It has been established that almost five million people of different ages die every year on the planet due to the use of tobacco. According to experts, if current trends continue, then by 2020 ten million people on the planet will die annually from premature death caused by nicotine. Unfortunately, tobacco is a so-called socially acceptable drug. This is the only legal product that kills 50% of people who regularly use it. This means that of the 1.4 billion smokers, 700 million are condemned to die prematurely.
If you live in close proximity to sources of benzopyrene, consumption levels of up to 1 mcg per day can be achieved.
Food products are also sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, including benzopyrene, entering the human body. The main food products that are sources of benzopyrene and many other PAHs include: cereals, various fats, oils of animal and vegetable origin, smoked products. According to WHO recommendations, benzopyrene intake from food should be at a level that should not exceed 0.36 mcg per day. Unfortunately, with the consumption of drinking water, about 1% of all PAHs enter the human body. The content of benzopyrene in water should not exceed 0.7 micrograms per liter.
According to statistics from 2009, chocolate sold in Germany contains 0.07 - 0.63 micrograms of benzopyrene per kilogram of finished product. The appearance and concentration of benzopyrene in cocoa beans occurs during drying and roasting. In the same way, benzopyrene appears in coffee.
Various types of tea contain from 2.7 to 63 micrograms per kilogram of benzopyrene in dry matter, but the good thing is that during the tea brewing process, only about 1.6% of PAHs enter the drink and thus the benzopyrene content is 0.35 - 18. 7 ng per liter.
After heat treatment of meat, the benzopyrene content can reach up to 4 micrograms per kilogram, and in fried chicken up to 5.5 micrograms per kilogram. In overcooked meat that is cooked over charcoal in a barbecue, in some cases, the content of benzopyrene can reach up to 62.6 micrograms per kilogram.

Give preference to boiled food. Eat fried and smoked foods as little as possible.
Avoid eating charred or heavily fried meat.
Use refined oils for frying and do not reuse them.
Kebab lovers are advised to cook meat on a vertical grill, which avoids burning fat when it hits the coals.
Stop smoking.
Spending leisure time in park areas away from man-made sources of benzopyrene.

Benz(a)pyrene is a polycyclic hydrocarbon of the first hazard class. Released into the environment by combustion various types fuels when burning wood and coal. In the environment, it is found in the soil layer and in water, is capable of migration into plant tissue, and then enters animal organisms.

Benzopyrene enters the human body with meat products. Benzopyrene is capable of bioaccumulation, that is, accumulation in plant tissues, human and animal bodies. Each new link in the trophic chain contains more benzopyrene than the previous one. Benzopyrene has a strong carcinogenic and mutagenic effect. When benzopyrene enters the body, it passes through the gastrointestinal tract and then enters the liver. In liver cells, benzopyrene is converted into dihydroxyepoxide, a dangerous carcinogen. Thus, this most dangerous carcinogen interacts with components of the cell genome, causing irreversible changes, cancer and genetic problems in future generations. The molecules of this substance interact with human DNA, causing gene mutations. In the future, if the gene programs are activated, a malignant cancer tumor may form in the body's cells.

Benz(a)pyrene is a polycyclic hydrocarbon of the first hazard class. It is released into the environment by the combustion of various types of fuel, during the combustion of wood and coal. In the environment, it is found in the soil layer and in water, is capable of migration into plant tissue, and then enters animal organisms.

Benzopyrene enters the human body with meat products. Benzopyrene is capable of bioaccumulation, that is, accumulation in plant tissues, human and animal bodies. Each new link in the trophic chain contains more benzopyrene than the previous one. Benzopyrene has a strong carcinogenic and mutagenic effect. When benzopyrene enters the body, it passes through the gastrointestinal tract and then enters the liver. In liver cells, benzopyrene is converted into dihydroxyepoxide, a dangerous carcinogen. Thus, this most dangerous carcinogen interacts with components of the cell genome, causing irreversible changes, cancer and genetic problems in future generations. The molecules of this substance interact with human DNA, causing gene mutations. In the future, if the gene programs are activated, a malignant cancer tumor may form in the body's cells.

One of the sources of benzopyrene emissions is road transport. Benzopyrene is absorbed by dust and soot and transported over short distances, polluting roadside areas. Falling together with precipitation, it pollutes the upper layers of soil and water bodies. In the ground layer of air near highways, the content of this substance is higher, so a child in a stroller inhales air more contaminated with benzopyrene than adults. In this regard, it is very important when walking with children to avoid busy streets, choose kindergarten and a school, located away from busy roads. Benzopyrene is an extremely dangerous carcinogen for smokers: on average, cigarette smoke contains 0.025-0.05 mcg of benzopyrene, this content exceeds the maximum permissible concentration by 10,000 - 15,000 times. According to calculations, when smoking just one cigarette, a person’s consumption of benzopyrene is equivalent to sixteen hours of inhaling car exhaust fumes; think about how the effect accumulates if several factors are added up. And maybe this will be the last factor that will force you to quit this bad habit.

In food products, benzopyrene can be contained in cereals, oils and fats, and smoked products (including sprats). Meat and fish products, canned food also contain benzopyrene. There is even a minimum content of this substance allowed: when using flavoring substances to create a smoking effect, no more than 2 μg/kg(l), and in the finished product it should not exceed 0.03 μg/kg(l).

The SanEco company has everything necessary resources, to conduct research on the content of benzopyrene in the test sample. One of the methods for determining benzopyrene is the liquid chromatography method. We have own laboratory With the latest equipment, a staff of qualified employees and many years of experience in this field.

Benz(a)pyrene in the air we breathe

14.11.2006 15:00

Long-term observations of the Primorsky UGMS on the quality of atmospheric air in the cities of the Primorsky Territory show that from year to year the content of benzo(a)pyrene in the air exceeds the permissible sanitary standard, which indicates extremely unfavorable ecological condition air basin of Primorye.

In 2005, average annual concentrations of benzo(a)pyrene exceeded the maximum permissible concentration (MPC) in Partizansk by 5.1 times, Ussuriysk by 4.4 times, in Vladivostok by 3.2 times, and in Nakhodka by 2.6 times. ( Rice. 1) The average concentration of benzo(a)pyrene in Russian cities exceeded the permissible limit by 3 times.

Highest average monthly concentrations of benzo(a)pyrene in 2005 exceeded the permissible sanitary standard in Partizansk by 9 times, Ussuriysk by 7 times, Vladivostok by 5 times, and in Nakhodka by 4.5 times. ( Rice. 2) The highest average monthly concentrations of benzo(a)pyrene are, as a rule, observed in winter, the lowest - in summer, which is due to an increase in the number of sources of benzo(a)pyrene in winter (small boiler houses, chimneys in the private sector), as well as an increase in the frequency of surface inversions up to 52% (Vladivostok) and frequency of low wind speeds up to 47% (Ussuriysk).

High level of atmospheric air pollution with benz(a)pyrene in cities caused by emissions from vehicles, thermal power plants, numerous small boiler houses, as well as open fires. The contribution of motor vehicles to the emissions of hydrocarbons into the atmosphere, including benzo(a)pyrene, is more than 90% of the total emissions of all hydrocarbons. Roads in the cities of Primorye are filled with vehicles, the roadway of already narrow streets is significantly reduced due to parking on both sides, which complicates traffic, creates traffic jams and increases air pollution. To improve the quality of atmospheric air in the cities of Primorye, it is necessary to build bypass highways, transport interchanges, air crossings, and parking lots for private vehicles.

Help for the curious:

Benz(a)pyrene is the most common environmental chemical carcinogen. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended an annual average value (1x10 -6 mg/m3) as the value above which adverse effects on human health may be observed.

Carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), including benzo(a)pyrene, are widespread in all areas of the environment. Benzopyrene and other PAHs are present in the atmospheric air of populated areas, in the air production premises, in the water of open reservoirs, in plants, in soil. Benz(a)pyrene is found in some hard and brown coals, oil, etc.

Anthropogenic sources of benzo(a)pyrene can be stationary ( industrial enterprises, thermal power plants, large and small heating systems), polluting the atmosphere in relatively limited areas, and mobile (transport), the emissions of which spread over much larger areas. One of the widespread sources of benzo(a)pyrene is the combustion process of almost all types of combustible materials. Benz(a)pyrene is present in flue gases, soot and soot deposited in chimneys and on surfaces that have had contact with smoke, more precisely in resinous substances contained in combustion products. Benz(a)pyrene is also found in places where spontaneous forest fires occur; it also appears in the atmosphere as a result of volcanic eruptions. However, it should be understood that the combustion process itself (i.e., carbon oxidation) is not necessary for the formation of benzo(a)pyrene. It is formed as a result of polymerization processes of relatively simple-structured fragments of molecules (mainly of a free radical nature), which are formed from the original fuel due to the action of high temperatures under unfavorable combustion conditions. One of the most common sources of benzo(a)pyrene formation is also pyrolysis. Pyrolysis is used exclusively to obtain products for the national economy, which often become a secondary source of PAHs entering the environment.

In a molecularly dispersed state, benzo(a)pyrene can be present only in negligible quantities. In the air it is mainly associated with solid particles of atmospheric dust. Solid particles containing benzo(a)pyrene fall out of the air quite quickly due to sedimentation (destruction of the colloid and precipitation), as well as with precipitation, and pass into the soil, plants, soil waters and reservoirs. This causes a rather large variability in the concentration of benzo(a)pyrene in the atmospheric air, which depends not only on the intensity of its release from the source of pollution, but also on meteorological conditions. Being chemically relatively stable, benzo(a)pyrene can migrate for a long time from one object to another. As a result, many environmental objects and processes, which themselves do not have the ability to synthesize benzo(a)pyrene, become its secondary sources.

The numerous and dispersed sources of benzo(a)pyrene, as well as the ability for further distribution of emissions, create the preconditions for widespread air pollution. However, the observed concentrations of benzo(a)pyrene in the atmosphere are very different - from practically zero levels in some areas to many times exceeding the MPC in some areas. According to rough estimates, the amount of benzo(a)pyrene released into the environment annually by various anthropogenic sources is 5000 tons worldwide..

An international panel of experts has classified benzo(a)pyrene as an agent for which there is limited evidence of carcinogenicity in humans and reliable evidence of carcinogenicity in animals. In experimental studies, benzo(a)pyrene was tested in nine animal species, including monkeys. Benz(a)pyrene can enter the body through the skin, respiratory organs, digestive tract and transplacentally. With all these methods of exposure, it was possible to cause malignant tumors in animals. There is direct or indirect evidence of the reality of benzo(a)pyrene entering the human body through all these routes.

Presence of benzo(a)pyrene in food products most likely in those that during the cooking process come into contact with fuel combustion products: these are smoked sausages, fish, canned smoked fish. Benz(a)pyrene can be contained in any food prepared in contact with hot combustion products (for example, barbecue, roasted coffee, dried crackers, etc.). Attempts have been made to quantify the intake of benzo(a)pyrene into the human body from different types food products, based on the nutritional status of the population. It turned out that most benzo(a)pyrene enters the human body from vegetables due to their large proportion in the diet. The main amount of benzo(a)pyrene contained in food plant materials is concentrated mainly in the surface layer. Thus, up to 60% of the carcinogen contained in grain is lost with bran; a significant amount of it is lost with potato peelings, with the husks of sunflower seeds and other oilseeds, etc. The same thing happens with smoked meat and fish products. The casings of smoked sausages do not prevent the penetration of the carcinogen, but retain a significant amount of it. However, in long-term storage products (hard smoked sausages), the concentration levels out over time due to diffusion processes.

Fortunately for people, in the environment as a whole and in its individual objects there are mechanisms leading to the loss of the carcinogenic properties of benzo(a)pyrene, in particular chemical and photochemical oxidation.

The main amount of benzo(a)pyrene that enters the body of humans and animals undergoes metabolic processes and is excreted in the form of conjugates with glucuronic acid. The process of metabolic detoxification of benzo(a)pyrene is practically carried out by all living organisms, including some types of soil and aquatic microflora. This process is very important. For example, animals and birds were fed feed containing large amounts of benzo(a)pyrene, but this carcinogen was practically absent from meat, milk and eggs. Thus, the animal organism is a kind of barrier to the path of benzo(a)pyrene from the environment into the human body.

The situation is more complicated with fish. Benz(a)pyrene, which enters the body of fish with food, undergoes metabolic transformations and does not accumulate in large quantities, but if the fish is caught from a reservoir contaminated with industrial waste, then it contains very high concentrations of benzo(a)pyrene. Other hydrobionts, such as mussels, also actively accumulate benzo(a)pyrene.