Abstract:The current normal method for the determination of benzo(a)pyrene is not specific, and its sensitivity is not very good. The 3,4-benzo(a)pyrene(3,4-BaP) is an organic compound with the formula C20H12. 3,4-BaP is a harmful compound, because it generates carcinogenic and mutagenic metabolites which can intercalate into DNA and interference with transcription. In this study, the molecular imprinted sorbent was synthesized and packed into a solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridge for the enrichment of 3,4-BaP in smoked sturgeon (Acipenser sinensis) bought from local market. An analytical method was also developed for accurate determination of 3,4-BaP on the basis of ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. The molecular imprinted sorbents are dispersed spherical particles, with diameter from 20 to 90 μm. It was successfully applied in the enriching of 3,4-BaP, and its performance was compared with Sep-pak, HLB, and Florisil SPE. The method was validated, and the results showed that the calibration curve is linear with R2 = 0.9998. The limit of detection (LoD) and limit of quantitation (LoQ) are 0.98 and 3.16 μg/kg, respectively. The RSDs of intra-day and inter-day accuracy are 3.26%-4.77% and 3.78%-5.26%, respectively. The recovery ranged from 89.7% to 95.3%, with RSD 2.89%-3.44%. Afterwards, the method was successfully applied to determine the 3,4-BaP in 50 batches of smoked sturgeon. The results indicated that 12 positive samples were found. The content of 3,4-BaP in the worst sample reached 21.9 μg/kg. The contents of 3,4-BaP in the other samples are lower than 3.58 μg/kg. In conclusion, this method is good at determining 3,4-BaP in smoked sturgeon. The relevant data could be used as reference for the functional departments for ensuring the food safety for consumers.