Benz(a)pyrene is an organic chemical compound, a member of the family of polycyclic hydrocarbons.

Molecular weight 252.

Formed during the combustion of hydrocarbon liquid, solid and gaseous fuels (to a lesser extent during the combustion of gaseous fuels).

Benz(a)pyrene (3,4-benzpyrene) belongs to the class of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and is a priority environmental toxicant in all developed countries. This is due to the stability of PAHs in the environment and their high mutagenic and carcinogenic properties.

In the environment it accumulates mainly in soil, less in water. From the soil it enters plant tissue and continues its movement further into trophic chain, while at each stage the content of BP in natural objects increases by an order of magnitude.

The content of benzo(a)pyrene in natural products is monitored by liquid chromatography.

Benz(a)pyrene has strong luminescence in the visible part of the spectrum, which allows it to be detected in concentrations up to 0.01 ppb by luminescent methods

Benz(a)pyrene is one of the most dangerous hydrocarbons. High concentrations of benzo(a)pyrene are observed on city highways, as well as near gas stations. Benz(a)pyrene is a strong carcinogen, in particular, it causes leukemia and congenital deformities. The mechanism of action is associated with the incorporation (intercalation) of its molecules into DNA molecules.

There are no threshold concentrations for benzo(a)pyrene; it poses a health hazard in any quantity.

This substance is a product of incomplete combustion organic compounds, present in coal and oil processing products. The main sources of emission of technogenic PAHs into the natural environment are energy complex enterprises, road transport, chemical and oil refining industries. Benz(a)pyrene, along with other PAHs, settles in soot and tar particles on the soil surface. Monitoring of its content is carried out in soil, water, air, food products and food raw materials. The maximum permissible concentration of benzo(a)pyrene in soil is 0.02 mg/kg.

As a result, in addition to the problem of air pollution, which was previously associated mainly with emissions from industrial enterprises, the problem of increasing pollution from vehicle emissions was added. Currently, no one doubts the fact that air pollution has an impact on human health. According to various experts, 30–40% of health depends on the state of the environment. IN last years Research into the health effects of air pollution has become widespread in many cities. Research shows that older people and children, as well as people with chronic heart and lung diseases, are especially sensitive to environmental pollution. The consequences of high urban air pollution, and especially benzo(a)pyrene, will be manifested in increased morbidity and mortality for many years to come. With continued high levels of pollution atmospheric air cities' importance increases significantly state monitoring pollution natural environment, as one of the elements of identifying unfavorable trends and effective use to develop and implement the necessary corrective measures. Preservation of the state network of observations of atmospheric air pollution, its stable functioning and development in the region is possible only on the condition that local authorities the authorities will take part in financing these works.

2. DANGEROUS OF USING EXCESSIVE QUANTITIES OF MINERAL FERTILIZERS. NITRATES IN FOOD AND WATER

It is impossible to imagine modern agriculture without adding mineral fertilizers to the soil. Essentially this is the only way increase the fertility of the land, which producers can afford, since keeping land fallow is too great luxury for mass production. The use of mineral fertilizers in agriculture is aimed at increasing the content of plant nutrients in the soil to increase productivity. However, fertilizers are often applied in quantities that are not balanced with what the plants consume, so they become powerful source pollution of soils, agricultural products, floodplain groundwater, as well as natural reservoirs, rivers and the atmosphere. The use of excess amounts of mineral fertilizers can have the following negative consequences:

Firstly, long-term application of fertilizers changes the properties of soils. The use of physiologically acidic fertilizers increases soil acidity and leads to significant losses of humus in some arable soils.

Secondly, introducing large quantities nitrogen fertilizers leads to contamination of soils, products and fresh water nitrates, and the atmosphere - nitrogen oxides. The same applies to phosphate fertilizers. The inactive effect is due to the fact that agricultural plants use only part of the nutrients contained in fertilizers.

Thirdly, mineral fertilizers are a source of soil contamination with heavy metals. Significant amount heavy metals enters the soil with organic fertilizers. Besides, phosphate fertilizers source of soil contamination with natural radionuclides - uranium, thorium, radium, etc.

Fourthly, mineral and organic fertilizers, as a source of soil contamination with heavy metals, can change the mobility of the latter in the soil and, consequently, their availability by plants. At the same time, the flow of metal migration into accumulative landscapes and the hydrographic network increases.

To control the content of heavy metals in the soil, there are maximum permissible concentrations and maximum permissible concentrations of certain elements, the excess of which leads to contamination of the soil, agricultural products and waters, in quantities that negatively affect the health of people and animals, and can change the balance of a given ecosystem. Soils are primarily monitored for the content of radionuclides Cd, Hg, Pb, and secondarily the content of Ni, Mn, Cr and other elements is monitored.

Of all mineral fertilizers, nitrogen fertilizers pose the greatest danger to humans. The most common nitrogen fertilizers are: potassium nitrate (potassium nitrate); Chilean saltpeter (sodium nitrate); calcium nitrate (calcium nitrate); ammonium nitrate (ammonium nitrate).

Excessive use of nitrogen-containing fertilizers in agriculture contaminates food and contributes to intoxication (a painful condition caused by the action of toxins or harmful substances). In this case, almost all organs and tissues are damaged in the human and animal body.

Nitrogen is one of the most important chemical elements in plant life, because it is necessary for the synthesis of amino acids from which proteins are formed. Plants obtain nitrogen from the soil in the form of minerals. nitrogen salts(nitrate and ammonia).

In plants, nitrogen is exposed complex transformations. Nitrogen metabolism in plants is a complex process, and nitrates occupy an intermediate position in it:

HNO3 – HNO2 – (HNO)2 – NH2OH + NH3 |

(nitrate) (nitrite) (hyponitrite) (hydroxylamine) (ammonia)

Nitrates in plants are reduced to nitrites. Various metals (molybdenum, iron, copper, manganese) are involved in this process, and there is an intensive waste of carbohydrates, because energy is spent on restoration, the source of which is carbohydrates. Nitrites can accumulate in plants and thereby inhibit their growth. But the main part of nitrites, undergoing further transformations, produces ammonia (NH3). Ammonia Russian scientist D.M. Pryanishnikov called the alpha and omega in plant nutrition.

World science has known about nitrates for a long time. It is now common knowledge that nitrates are highly toxic to humans and farm animals:

Nitrates, under the influence of the enzyme nitrate reductase, are reduced to nitrates, which interact with hemoglobin in the blood and oxidize divalent iron in it into trivalent iron. As a result, the substance methemoglobin is formed, which is no longer able to carry oxygen. Therefore, the normal respiration of cells and tissues of the body is disrupted (tissue hypoxia), as a result of which lactic acid and cholesterol accumulate, and the amount of protein drops sharply.

Nitrates are especially dangerous for infants, because their enzyme base is imperfect and the reduction of methemoglobin to hemoglobin is slow.

Nitrates contribute to the development of pathogenic (harmful) intestinal microflora, which releases into the human body toxic substances toxins, resulting in toxicity, i.e. poisoning of the body. The main signs of nitrate poisoning in humans are:

cyanosis of nails, face, lips and visible mucous membranes;


nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain;


diarrhea, often with blood, enlarged liver, yellowness of the whites of the eyes;


headaches, increased fatigue, drowsiness, decreased performance;


shortness of breath, increased heart rate, up to loss of consciousness;


with severe poisoning - death.

Nitrates reduce the content of vitamins in food, which are part of many enzymes, stimulate the action of hormones, and through them affect all types of metabolism.


Pregnant women experience miscarriages, and men experience decreased potency.


With prolonged intake of nitrates into the human body (even in small doses), the amount of iodine decreases, which leads to an enlargement of the thyroid gland.


It has been established that nitrates have a strong influence on the occurrence cancerous tumors V gastrointestinal tract in humans.


Nitrates can cause a sharp dilation of blood vessels, resulting in a decrease in blood pressure.


With all of the above, it should be remembered that it is not the nitrates themselves that cause harm to the human body, but the nitrites into which they turn under certain conditions.


For an adult, the maximum permissible norm of nitrates is 5 mg per 1 kg of human body weight, i.e. 0.25g per person weighing 60kg. For a child, the permissible limit is no more than 50 mg.


A person can tolerate a daily dose of nitrates of 15-200 mg relatively easily; 500 mg is the maximum permissible dose (600 mg is already a toxic dose for an adult). To poison an infant, 10 mg of nitrates is enough.


In the Russian Federation, the permissible average daily dose of nitrates is 312 mg, but in the spring it can actually be 500-800 mg/day.


Nitrates enter the human body through various routes.


Through food:


a) of plant origin;


b) of animal origin;


Through drinking water.


Through medications.


The bulk of nitrates enters the human body with canned food and fresh vegetables (40–80% of the daily amount of nitrates).


A small amount of nitrates comes from baked goods and fruits; 1% (10-100 mg per liter) gets in with dairy products.


Some nitrates can be formed in the human body itself during its metabolism.


Nitrates also enter the human body with water, which is one of the basic conditions for normal human life. Contaminated drinking water causes 70-80% of all existing diseases, which reduce human life expectancy by 30%. According to WHO, more than 2 billion people on Earth fall ill for this reason, of which 3.5 million die (90% of them are children under 5 years of age). Drinking water from groundwater contains up to 200 mg/l of nitrates, much less in water from artesian wells. Nitrates enter The groundwater through various chemical fertilizers (nitrate, ammonium), from fields and from chemical enterprises for the production of these fertilizers. The greatest amount of nitrates is contained in groundwater, and therefore into well water. Typically, city residents drink water that contains up to 20 mg/l of nitrates, while residents rural areas— 20-80 mg/l nitrates.


Nitrates are also found in animal foods. Fish and meat products in in kind contains some nitrates (5-25 mg/kg in meat, and 2-15 mg/kg in fish). But nitrates and nitrites are added to finished meat products in order to improve their consumer properties and for longer storage (especially in sausages). IN raw smoked sausage contains nitrites 150 mg/kg, and boiled sausage - 50-60 mg/kg.


Nitrates also enter the human body through tobacco. It was found that some varieties of tobacco contain up to 500 mg of nitrates per 100 g of dry matter.


The presence of nitrates in plants in itself is normal, because they are sources of nitrogen in these organisms, but their excessive increase is extremely undesirable, because They are highly toxic to humans and farm animals.


Nitrates mainly accumulate in roots, root vegetables, stems, petioles and large veins of leaves, and much less in fruits.


There are also more nitrates in green fruits than in ripe ones. Of the various agricultural plants, the most nitrates are found in lettuce (especially in greenhouse), radish, parsley, radish, beets, cabbage, carrots, dill:

in beets and carrots there are more nitrates in the upper part of the root crop, and in carrots also in its core.


in cabbage - in the stalk, in the thick leaf petioles and in the upper leaves.


It was also found that all vegetables and fruits contain the most nitrates in their skin.


Based on their ability to accumulate nitrates, vegetables, fruits and fruits are divided into 3 groups:

With high content(up to 5000 mg/kg wet weight): lettuce, spinach, beets, dill, kale, radishes, green onions, melons, watermelons.


with medium content (300-600 mg): cauliflower, zucchini, pumpkins, turnips, radishes, cabbage, horseradish, carrots, cucumbers.


low content (10-80 mg): Brussels sprouts, peas, sorrel, beans, potatoes, tomatoes, onions, fruits and berries.


WITH physiological point In general, the amount of nitrate nitrogen in plants is determined by the ratio:

absorption processes;


transport;


assimilation;


its distribution in different organs and parts of the plant.


And all these processes are determined by a combination of soil-ecological conditions, agrotechnical and genetic factors.


Thus, the accumulation of nitrates in plants depends on a complex of many reasons:

from biological features the plants themselves and their varieties. It was found that the most nitrates are contained in the “Red Giant” radish compared to its other varieties (“pink with white tip,” “heat,” etc.). The nitrate content also depends on the age of the plants: there are more of them in young organs (except for spinach and oats). Less nitrates accumulate in hybrid plants. There are more nitrates in early vegetables than in late ones.


on the mineral nutrition regime of plants. Thus, microelements (especially molybdenum) reduce the nitrate content in radishes, radishes and cauliflower; zinc and lithium - in potatoes, cucumbers and corn. The nitrate content in plants also decreases as a result of replacing mineral fertilizers with organic ones (manure, peat, etc.), which gradually decompose and are absorbed by plants. Organic fertilizers have a positive effect on cabbage, carrots, beets, parsley, potatoes, and spinach. Irrational, careless use of chemical fertilizers and excessive doses lead to a strong accumulation of nitrates, especially in table root vegetables. The nitrate content increases more strongly when using nitrate fertilizers ( KNO3, NaNO3, Ca(NO3)2 ) than when using ammonium. In recent years (according to the head of the laboratory of food toxicology at the Institute of Nutrition, T.S. Khotimchenko), there has been a significant decrease in nitrates in domestic crop products due to less use of chemical fertilizers due to their high cost. If in 1988-89 the MPC for nitrates exceeded 15% for vegetables, now it is no more than 3%.


The accumulation of nitrates also depends on environmental factors (temperature, air humidity, soil, intensity and duration of light):

the longer the daylight hours, the less nitrates in plants;


during a wet and cold summer (1985), the amount of nitrates increased 2.5 times.


when the temperature increased to 20°C, the amount of nitrates in table beets decreased by 3 times. Normal illumination of plants reduces the nitrate content, so there are more nitrates in greenhouse plants.


It is very important not only to know which plants, which organs and parts of them contain mainly nitrates, but it is equally important to know how to reduce the content of these toxic substances for the body, therefore a number of valuable tips are offered:

The amount of nitrates decreases during heat treatment of vegetables (washing, boiling, frying, stewing and blanching). So, when soaking - by 20-30%, and when cooking - by 60-80%.

in cabbage - by 58%;


in table beets - by 20%;


in potatoes - by 40%.


It should be remembered that when intensively washing and blanching (boiling with boiling water) vegetables, not only nitrates are lost into the water, but also valuable substances: vitamins, mineral salts, etc.

To reduce the amount of nitrates in old potato tubers, the tubers should be filled with a 1% solution of table salt.


Pattisons, zucchini and eggplants need to be cut top part, which is adjacent to the stalk.


Since there are more nitrates in the peels of vegetables and fruits, they (especially cucumbers and zucchini) need to be peeled, and for herbs, their stems should be thrown away and only the leaves should be used.


Vegetables and fruits should be stored in the refrigerator, because... at a temperature of +2°C it is impossible to convert nitrates into more toxic substances - nitrites.


To reduce the content of nitrites in the human body, it is necessary to use vitamin in food in sufficient quantities WITH(ascorbic acid) and vitamin E, because they reduce the harmful effects of nitrates and nitrites.


It was found that when canning, the nitrate content in vegetables decreases by 20-25%, especially when canning cucumbers and cabbage, because nitrates go into the brine and marinade, which therefore must be poured out when eating canned vegetables.


Salads should be prepared immediately before eating and eaten immediately, not saved for later.


The problem of toxic accumulation of nitrate nitrogen in agricultural products and its harmful effects on humans and farm animals at the present stage is one of the most acute and relevant.


Many research institutions around the world are engaged in solving this problem, but despite close attention to this problem, a radical solution has not yet been found.


EXERCISE


The state of the ozone layer is affected by emissions:


a) dioxins;


b) freons;


c) nitrogen oxides;


Answer


The state of the ozone layer is affected by emissions of freons (answer b)

Benz(a)pyrene was discovered in 1933. Studies confirming its carcinogenicity were carried out back in 1935 by academician Shabad L.M. in USSR.

Benz(a)pyrene is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH). This is a group of carcinogenic, i.e. substances capable of causing cancer. The best known is 3,4-benzo(a)pyrene, which was identified in 1933 as a carcinogenic component of soot and tar. Its level is used to judge the general contamination of products with various PAHs and the oncogenic danger to humans. Up to 95% of the benzo(a)pyrene contained in the seeds passes into the oil. The most likely route for PAHs to enter is through drying seeds with flue gases, which contain products of incomplete combustion of fuel, including PAHs. Transporting seeds in a truck with exhaust at the top leads to an increase in benzo(a)pyrene in the product.

High concentrations of benzo(a)pyrene are detected in the air during hot summer weather. The source is asphalt, so it is undesirable to spend time on asphalt surfaces in such weather.

The second option may be direct contamination of seeds from the environment, because a significant amount of PAHs is formed during the combustion of petroleum products, garbage, food, and vehicle emissions. Benz(a)pyrene is also released into the environment natural origin, but compared to the technogenic contribution, this is a drop in the bucket. PAHs can be removed from vegetable oils using complete refining, which includes deodorization and purification with adsorbents.

It is believed that the cause is almost 75% cancer diseases are carcinogenic chemical compounds that we consume through food. On April 1, 2010, a standard for the content of benzo(a)pyrene in sunflower oil was introduced (DSTU 4492:2005). The norm was 2 µg/kg(micrograms per kilogram), i.e. the same as in the EU (in various product standardized according to EU Directive 1881/2006). There are still no standards for other products. In Russia, in SanPin (Sanitary Norms and Rules) there are standards for benzo(a)pyrene in smoked meats.

Directive 1881/2006 contains the following rules:

• oils and fats (except cocoa butter) - 2.0 mcg/kg
• smoked meat and meat products - 5.0 mcg/kg
• smoked fish - 5.0 mcg/kg
• ordinary fish - 2.0 mcg/kg
• grain based nutrition, baby food and for children of primary school age - 1.0 mcg/kg
• bivalves - 10.0 mcg/kg

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has recognized its ability to cause cancer in humans.

In addition, benzo(a)pyrene has the property of bioaccumulation (i.e., it can accumulate), which further increases its danger.

• directly to the seed
• sprats
• sunflower oil
• mayonnaise
• smoked sausages
• dried fruits prepared by smoking
• barbecue
• chocolate (from cocoa butter)
• grain

Contains benzopyrene, or is this fiction? Russian politicians, the question of the content of carcinogens in food products in recent months began to worry many. What is the sensational benzopyrene, which products contain it most and how to protect yourself from this carcinogen. Looking ahead, we note: smokers and barbecue lovers have nothing to worry about the safety of eating chocolate.

Benzopyrene - what is it?

First of all, it’s worth understanding what benzopyrene is and why it’s scary, strictly speaking. From school course In chemistry, some of us may remember compounds such as aromatic hydrocarbons - organic substances in which carbon molecules are connected in a ring. Such connections are distinguished by the number of rings connected to each other (almost like in the Olympic sign). Substances that consist of several rings are called polycyclic aromatic carbohydrates, and benzopyrene is one of them.

When they talk about the presence of benzopyrene in food products, in fact we are talking about the presence of polycyclic aromatic carbohydrates in them in general. There are simply thousands of such connections. They are similar in their structure and effects on the body, and since identifying each of the polycyclic aromatic carbohydrates would be difficult and expensive, the chemists agreed that benzopyrene would be used as a reference substance. There is one - with a certain degree of probability there will be others. If this compound is absent, most likely there will be no polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the test sample at all.

Now about the main thing - about the danger. Benzopyrene, like compounds similar to it, belong to the so-called highest class danger. This is due to the fact that the breakdown products of this compound accumulate in the body and are integrated into DNA strands, thus introducing errors into genetic code person. Most of these errors lead to the death of cells, which are replaced by new ones. But sometimes cells under the influence of benzopyrene begin to divide uncontrollably, causing cancer. According to scientists, 75% of all cancers are caused by polycyclic aromatic carbohydrates - this is the main carcinogen in the world.

In addition, benzopyrene promotes the deposition of atherosclerotic plaques on the walls of blood vessels, and, consequently, increases the risk of developing dangerous diseases such as coronary heart disease, heart attack and strokes. Besides, most of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons has toxic effect to the liver.

However, there is also good news- concentrations of benzopyrene that we encounter in Everyday life, are quite small. Therefore, a short stay in the zone increased risk, or a single use of products even with strong increased level polycyclic aromatic carbohydrates are unlikely to seriously harm health. It is the accumulation of these substances in the body that is dangerous. Although, as you know, everything permanent stems from the temporary. That's why best time don't tempt fate.

Where are the roots from?

How does the deadly benzopyrene get into our body? The answer is simple. All polycyclic aromatic carbohydrates are formed by incomplete combustion organic matter. How and what will burn does not matter. In fact, the highest dose of benzopyrene is received by smokers who daily, of their own free will, inhale the products of incomplete combustion of tobacco, then by workers of metallurgical and oil refineries where oil is processed and burned. coal. (By the way, another reason to think about whether smoking is worth it is that a smoker absorbs approximately the same amount of benzopyrene as a coke processing plant worker, while paying his own money for the poison).

The next largest source of benzopyrene released into the environment is highways. Polycyclic aromatic carbohydrates are released both during the combustion of fuel and during the evaporation of asphalt in the heat (therefore, taking children out of the city in the hot months is very correct solution). For this reason, concentrations of benzopyrene on busy highways are 3-5 times higher than in rural areas.

Dangerous food

And finally, for non-smoking citizens, one of the main sources of benzopyrene entering the body is food, and not chocolate, which we love Lately are furiously frightening the sanitary services of a friendly neighboring country, and the most ordinary smoked meats, dishes cooked on open fire and any fried food.

For example, according to the “Opinion” prepared at the request of the European Commission Scientific Committee on food products about risks for human health polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in food,” published in December 2002, benzopyrene was found in concentrations of up to 300 μg/kg in some samples of smoked fish and duck. (This figure is comparable to the benzopyrene content in the tars formed when smoking tobacco). It should be noted that these figures are given for dishes prepared from clean, uncontaminated products.

The concentration of benzopyrene in the feedstock was 0.01-1 μg/kg. That is, during cooking, the concentration of the carcinogen increased thousands of times.

However, first things first. So, benzopyrene can be present in food both initially and formed during culinary processing.

dirty oyster

A classic example of high levels of benzopyrene in food products, widely reported in all newspapers, is oysters and lobsters caught in areas of the ocean where oil was spilled.

Since there are a lot of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in oil, these substances first enter plant plankton, and then into mollusks and crustaceans, and accumulate in them.

However, as already mentioned, scandals with benzopyrene found in seafood have been arising for a long time. Therefore, these products are controlled quite strictly. And quite often they “wrap” the contaminated product. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about the quality of seafood purchased in supermarkets or served in a restaurant.

But before you buy mussels, rapana and crabs on the Crimean beaches, you need to think very, very carefully. And, of course, you shouldn’t collect mussels on stilts next to the pier yourself -
mi - they are guaranteed to be contaminated with both benzopyrene and heavy metals and other “amenities”.

But all other animal products can be eaten without fear. Benzopyrene accumulates only in the tissues of mollusks and crustaceans. Benzopyrene does not accumulate in the meat of fish and farm animals, as well as eggs and milk. Excessive amounts of this substance are very sharply detected in animal products.

roadside grass

Another significant source of benzopyrene in the body is vegetables and fruits grown near major highways. Where the carcinogen comes from in them is clear. The only thing that can be added is that most of the benzopyrene is associated with microscopic particles of soot that settle on the surface of leaves and fruits. Therefore, if you decide to plant a cherry next to a busy road, then at least take the time to thoroughly wash its fruits. And in the case of apples and pears, peel the skin altogether. (You shouldn’t worry about the fact that the peel contains the most vitamins. A modern urban person who has no problems with the amount and variety of his diet gets enough vitamins. And the peel of vegetables and fruits contains much more harmful substances than useful ones).

One more nuance - the most benzopyrene is accumulated by plants with large leaves and leaves and fruits covered with a waxy coating, that is, the most popular vegetables: cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini. Thus, although it is possible to create a small bed with onions and parsley in the courtyard of a house located on a busy highway, then it is definitely not worth growing vegetables there.

And, of course, you should not collect any berries and medicinal herbs near the highway, however, this is clear.

Harmful fat

The main share of benzopyrene that we get from food is formed during cooking, all with the same incomplete combustion of organic substances, namely when exposed to temperatures above 200 ° C. And this is: frying, smoking (benzapyrene is formed during the combustion of fuel in a smokehouse) , cooking barbecue dishes, cocoa beans, coffee beans and some types of tea in violation of technology and extraction of vegetable oils using refining.

Let's look at each case separately.

Refined oils

Refining of vegetable oils, be it sunflower, corn or refined olive (pomance oil), is carried out by processing petroleum products that contain benzopyrene. Some amounts of this substance may remain in the final product. Refined oils are considered one of the main sources of carcinogens entering the body. IN European Union has been around for quite a long time mandatory check refined oils for benzopyrene content.

Several years ago, this indicator began to be monitored in our country. However, when choosing refined oil, it is better to choose deodorized and frozen brands - when using these purification technologies, almost all benzopyrene is removed from the product. In addition, it is advisable to use refined oil only for frying. For dressing salads, it is better to use virgin oil - it is healthier and there is no benzopyrene in it.

And, of course, we should not forget that greatest number We get benzopyrene, and at the same time trans fats that are harmful to blood vessels, not from vegetable oil as such, but margarine prepared on its basis and products containing this ersatz fat. Use of margarine, spreads, etc. better to avoid altogether.

Frying and grilling

Another significant source of benzopyrene entering the body is frying and grilling. In these dishes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are formed when fat is heated above 200°C. In a heavily fried piece of meat, the concentration of benzopyrene can reach up to 300 mcg/kg (and this is very, very high).

One piece of advice can be given - to prefer boiled or steamed dishes (the concentration of benzopyrene in them is rarely higher than 10 mcg/kg), or fry as quickly as possible and not too much. And, of course, you should not eat charred pieces of meat. In addition, preliminary marinating of meat and fish and the addition of caramelizing agents (cooking in honey or maple molasses) helps reduce the concentration of carcinogens - in this case, the frying time is significantly reduced, and hence the concentration of benzopyrene.

When grilling food, a carcinogen is also formed in hot fat. The situation is especially dangerous when fat drips onto hot coals. Therefore, it is better to cook lean meat and fish on the grill and, if possible, try to use a vertical grill (such as that of shawarma vendors).

Using a vertical grill allows you to reduce the concentration of carcinogens in finished project up to 30 times. (However, this is not yet a reason to eat street shawarma. In addition to benzopyrene, there are many other, no less harmful substances).

We won’t talk at all about the fact that you can’t use resinous pine wood for cooking kebabs, much less construction waste with paint and glue residues.

Smoking

Another critical process is smoking. However, the amount of benzopyrene produced during the formation of smoke is extremely heterogeneous. This indicator depends on the composition and moisture content of the wood, access to oxygen, the distance between the source of smoke and the product being smoked, and much more.

One thing can be said - modern smoking installations are designed in such a way as to minimize the accumulation of carcinogens in products. Therefore, smoked meat prepared industrially is definitely safer than smoked meat at home, although it is not always tastier.

And finally best results replaces smoking with “liquid smoke” treatment. In this case there is no impact at all high temperatures for the project and, accordingly, carcinogens do not accumulate. The only question is taste and the fact that in addition to carcinogens there are many other harmful substances

Coffee, tea, cocoa

During roasting, coffee beans are exposed to high temperatures, and, therefore, benzopyrene can accumulate in them. A study conducted in Finland showed that ground coffee may contain 100-200 μg/kg of benzopyrene. The same is true for some varieties of black tea, which are dried in ovens heated by gasoline or diesel fuel. In some sheet samples, the benzopyrene content reached 1400 μg/kg.

However, you should not expect any special problems from coffee and tea - benzopyrene from leaves and coffee beans practically does not turn into infusion. Therefore, drinks made even from contaminated leaves do not contain a carcinogen.

It’s worse with cocoa (cocoa beans are also sometimes dried in gasoline-heated ovens) and dried fruits. In the case of dried fruits sold in markets, drying in gasoline ovens is the absolute norm, and there is no way to identify such dried fruits. In addition, unlike coffee, we absorb cocoa beans and dried fruits directly, and do not drink an infusion from them. So there is only one way out - to rely on the good name of the manufacturer, who can voluntarily test their products for benzopyrene.

How to get rid of benzopyrene when cooking?

✓ Prefer boiling and stewing to frying.
✓ It is especially not recommended to fry fatty meat.
✓ Do not eat pieces that are charred black.
✓ Use deodorized and seasoned oils for frying.
✓ When frying, change the oil as often as possible.
✓ Try to replace smoking with “liquid smoke”.
✓ When grilling barbecues and kebabs, make sure that fat does not drip into the fire.
✓ If possible, choose vertical grills (like those of shawarma sellers), when using them, fat does not fall on the hot surface.

Benzopyrene is a chemical compound that belongs to the first hazard class. Benzaperene belongs to the family of polycyclic hydrocarbons. This compound is formed during the combustion of any organic fuel (wood, straw, peat, coal, oil products and gas). Least quantity benzopyrene is formed during the combustion of gas.

Bezaperene tends to accumulate. Its accumulation is predominantly in soil, less in water. From the soil it again enters plant tissue and further spreads along trophic chains.

Bezapyrene has luminescence in the visible part of the spectrum, which allows it to be detected in concentrations up to 0.01 ppb by luminescent methods.

Benzopyrene is present in gaseous industrial wastes, car exhausts, tobacco smoke, food combustion products, etc. Up to 40% of benzene emissions come from ferrous metallurgy, 26% from domestic heating, 16% from chemical industry. The highest concentrations of B., exceeding the MPC by 10-15 times, were observed in cities with aluminum production plants (Bratsk, Krasnoyarsk, Novokuznetsk, etc.). The MPC for B. is exceeded by 6–10 times in cities with ferrous metallurgy enterprises (Nizhny Tagil, Magnitogorsk, Chelyabinsk) and by 3–5 times in cities with large petrochemical and oil refining enterprises (Ufa, Perm, Samara).

Benz(a)pyrene is also found in places where spontaneously occurring forest fires, 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, at unfavorable conditions combustion. One of the most common sources of benzo(a)pyrene formation is also pyrolysis.

Biological action benzopyrene

It is the most typical environmental carcinogen.

MPC - 0.020 mg/kg.

Extremely dangerous even at ultra-low concentrations, because tends to accumulate.

Being a chemically stable compound, it can long time move from one to another object (organism).

Benzopyrene has a mutagenic effect.

An international group of experts has classified benzo(a)pyrene as one of the agents for which there are available limited evidence their carcinogenic effect on humans and reliable evidence of their carcinogenic effect on 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 (cancer) in animals.

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 of the famous Rochen brand that the import of this company’s products into the territory of the Russian Federation was prohibited. Let's figure out whether benzopyrene is as harmful as they say.

A typical polycyclic compound containing chemical formula 20 carbon atoms and 12 hydrogen atoms, has unique property, which in environmental terminology is called “bioaccumulation”. In simpler and more understandable 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 it is “born” dangerous product benzopyrene and immediately saturates everything that is 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 loves to “grow and multiply” not only in the 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.

Fortunately, the human body is a fairly resilient and wise structure and can repel and neutralize attacks from microquantities of harmful chemicals. The legislation of the Customs Union clearly defines the lower limits for the concentration of benzopyrene in all food products that cannot cause significant harm to health. In accordance with the requirements of the main Technical Regulations regulating the safety of all food products, the mass fraction of a carcinogenic compound cannot exceed 1 mcg per 1000 g of the finished product. The exception is smoked fish products, in which the maximum permissible amount of benzopyrene cannot exceed 5 mcg based on the same weight. More stringent measures are provided for nursing mothers and their babies; the permissible concentration is 0.2 mcg per 1 kg of specialized food.

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 subjected to introduction aromatic compound into the body, acquired malignant neoplasms in the form of tumors during the experiment. The final verdict was made that benzo(a)pyrene is capable of causing cancer. 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;
• Don’t hesitate to ask stores and markets for declarations of compliance of questionable products with requirements. technical regulations on safety.
• 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. They write a lot about the perceived benefits of proper nutrition and with pleasure, but when using any preventive measures, you should remember that you should not create panic empty space. 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 hydrocarbon is part of cigarette smoke and fire smoke. Positively minded people nature lovers And healthy image life, no benz(a)pyrene is dangerous!