QuEChERS and HPLC-MS/MS Reveal Emerging Contaminant Levels in Raw and Boiled Mussels

Mussel farming has grown hugely in recent years, becoming a vital industry worldwide. Because mussels filter water to feed, they absorb pollutants, making them an excellent way to see what contaminants might be passing into the human food supply. However, because the mollusk’s tissue is high in fat and protein, testing them in a lab can be messy and requires a strict cleaning process. To get around this, a team of researchers applied a QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe)-based extraction method coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) to successfully measure new types of contaminants in both raw and boiled mussels. A paper based on this work was published in the Journal of Mass Spectrometry.¹

Mussels are a very popular seafood, especially in Europe, and an important part of the continent’s economy. However, because mussels feed by filtering the water around them, they easily absorb pollution and harmful chemicals from their environment. If people eat contaminated mussels, it can be a health risk, so it's very important to carefully test and monitor them for dangerous substances.^2-5

Mussel samples were collected from three aquaculture farms supplying mussels to fish markets in Liguria (Italy) for this research, for the provision of a representative overview of contamination across different geographical sources. A total of 36 samples were analyzed, detecting emerging contaminants in 26 samples. Caffeine was the most frequently detected contaminant, consistent with its widespread consumption. Furthermore, ultraviolet (UV) filters were also commonly found in the samples, likely due to the sampling period at the end of summer, when sunscreen use is highest. This is the first study to investigate the impact of cooking on the concentrations of different classes of ECs in mussels, reflecting real consumption conditions. Box and whisker plots revealed consistently higher contaminant concentrations in boiled samples, suggesting that thermal processing may influence contaminant release.¹

“This study,” write the authors of the paper,¹ “aims to offer insights into contaminants distribution and preliminary information for human exposure assessment of potential risks to human health.”

While the researchers state that the obtained data may be considered as preliminary, they also report that their work represents the first investigation into the impact of cooking on the concentrations of ECs in mussels, reflecting the actual conditions under which these organisms are consumed. In addition, they believe theirs to be the first research documenting the investigation of specific ECs, such as omethoate (OMT), sucralose (SCL), metoprolol (MTPL), and clenbuterol (CLBT), in mussel matrices.¹

The researchers hope to perform future analysis focusing on the expansion of the dataset, as well as incorporating estimated daily intake calculations under different consumption scenarios, believing the data these efforts will yield to offer useful insights into potential risks to human health.¹

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References

1. Gambetta Vianna, J.; Benedetti, B.; Di Carro, M. et al. Emerging Contaminants in Raw and Cooked Marine Mussels: The QuEChERS Approach Combined With High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled With Tandem Mass Spectrometry. J Mass Spectrom. 2026, 61 (4), e70047. DOI: 10.1002/jms.70047
2. Diallo, T.; Makni, Y.; Lerebours, A. et al. Development and Validation According to the SANTE Guidelines of a QuEChERS-UHPLC-QTOF-MS Method for the Screening of 204 Pesticides in Bivalves. Food Chem. 2022, 386, 132871. DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2022.132871
3. Breitwieser, M.; Vigneau, E.; Viricel, A. et al. What is the Relationship Between the Bioaccumulation of Chemical Contaminants in the Variegated Scallop Mimachlamys varia and its Health Status? A Study Carried Out on the French Atlantic Coast Using the Path ComDim Model. Sci Total Environ. 2018, 640-641, 662-670. DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.05.317
4. Magi, E.; Liscio, C.; Pistarino, E. et al. Interdisciplinary Study for the Evaluation of Biochemical Alterations on Mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis Exposed to a Tributyltin-Polluted Area. Anal Bioanal Chem. 2008, 391 (2), 671-678. DOI: 10.1007/s00216-008-2055-3
5. Interino, N.; Comito, R.; Simoni, P. et al. Extraction Method for the Multiresidue Analysis of Legacy and Emerging Pollutants in Marine Mussels from the Adriatic Sea. Food Chem. 2023, 425, 136453. DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2023.136453