Combination of Multidimensional Instrumental Analysis and the Ames Test for the Toxicological Evaluation of Mineral Oil Aromatic Hydrocarbons

Mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAHs) include mutagenic and carcinogenic substances and are considered a potential health risk. Current methods address the total MOAH content but cannot address the actual toxicological hazard of individual components. This work presents a combined methodology closing those gaps: high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to gas chromatography with flame ionization detection was used to determine the MOAH content. To characterize present substance classes, comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography with time-of-flight mass spectrometry was applied. Preparative HPLC separated MOAHs into subgroups, which were tested with a miniaturized Ames test evaluating DNA reactivity of isolated fractions. Combining these methods allowed a correlation between present subgroups and DNA reactivity. The developed approach was applied to a mineral oil and distinguished between not DNA-reactive mono- and diaromatics and DNA-reactive tri- and polyaromatics, providing a proof of concept. Hereinafter, it will be applied to diverse sample matrices including mineral oils, food, and food contact materials.