Pyrolytic formation of polyaromatic hydrocarbons from steroid hormones

Author's version of an article published in Food Chemisty, 124 (4), 1466-1472. Also available from the publisher: hhtp://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2010.07.109 Four steroid hormones, namely androsterone, cholesterol, estrone and estradiol, have been pyrolysed at 300, 400 and 500 °C and the pyrolysates from these have been analysed by GC-MS. The results indicate that these formed different products under the pyrolysis and most of them evolved into polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons during their residence in the pyrolysis chamber at high temperatures. The products from the pyrolysates, at all temperatures, were analysed for similarities and differences using multivariate data analysis. The p…