송민아 (중앙대학교 약학대학)

이동규 (중앙대학교 약학대학)

송민아 (중앙대학교 약학대학)

심민기 (중앙대학교 약학대학)

이동규 (중앙대학교 약학대학)

Novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs) are emerging persistent organic pollutants (POPs) of concern due to their potential risks to human health and the environment. Despite growing interest, research findings regarding their occurrence in food sources are still limited. In line with the Stockholm Convention's recommendations for monitoring POPs in seaweed, we have developed a sensitive and robust gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS/MS) method for simultaneously quantifying 12 NBFRs in seaweed matrices. The procedure involves ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) using an optimised dichloromethane/hexane mixture, followed by liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) using a saturated sodium chloride solution. Sample purification is achieved using a multilayer silica gel column packed with Florisil, silica, sodium sulphate and PSA. The method was validated according to CODEX guidelines and demonstrated excellent selectivity, linearity (R² ≥ 0.99) and sensitivity (LOQ range: 0.026–49.366 ng/g) for all target analytes. Accuracy and precision were verified through recovery tests at three concentration levels, all of which met CODEX acceptance criteria. The validated method was successfully applied to analyse 21 seaweed samples from various regions. This approach shows promise for broader applications, including the analysis of other food matrices and environmental monitoring. This research was supported by a grant (22194MFDS004) from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in 2025.