Evaluation of musk contamination of freshwater fish in Italy by accelerated solvent extraction and gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection.

Musk compounds play an important role as perfuming agents for household chemicals, detergents and cosmetics. It has been demonstrated that the oral absorption of these compounds in humans is significant in the case of contaminated fish. In this study we developed a new extraction procedure, using an accelerated solvent extraction system and a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry detection method, for the determination of 1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-4,6,6,7,8,8-hexamethylcyclopenta [g]-2-benzopyran, 7-acetyl-1,1,3,4,4,6-hexamethyltetralin, 4-acetyl-1,1-dimethyl-6-tert.-butylindan, 6-acetyl 1,2,3,3,5-hexamethylindan and 5-acetyl-1,1,2,6-tetramethyl-3-isopropylindan in freshwater fish samples, collected from several Italian rivers and one lake. 6,7-Dihydro-1,1,2,3,3-pentamethyl-4-(5H)-indanon was used as internal standard. The method provides a rapid and highly extraction procedure, and is sensitive in determining these musk compounds in freshwater fish samples. This is the first report on the contamination from musk compounds in freshwater fish collected in Italy.