Enantioselective multidimensional gas chromatography for the analysis of selected monoterpenic compounds in Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil

Rachel N West, Yong Foo Wong, Philip Marriott

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer-review

Abstract

The present work is focused on developing an approach to the determination of enantiomeric fractions of limonene, terpinen-4-ol and α-terpineol in tea tree oils (TTOs), by means of heart-cutting multidimensional gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (MDGC; GC–eGC-QMS) detection, and conventional enantioselective-GC with flame ionisation detection (eGC-FID). eGC corresponds to an enantioselective-phase column, and is selected here to provide acceptable resolution of the enantiomers of the target compounds. However, eGC-FID is found to suffer chemical overlap with another compound, and so prevents quantitative analysis. In MDGC analysis, the eGC column is located as the second column. By contrast, using the GC–eGC-QMS approach allows the individual optically active compound to be separated from the interfering matrix components, prior to chiral separation in the second dimension column. The results obtained by using both methods were compared and discussed. This developed method can serve as an effective approach to determining the authenticity of TTO in view of the current growing trend towards adulteration of natural oils and products.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1-13
Number of pages13
JournalReinvention: an International Journal of Undergraduate Research
Volume8
Issue number2
Publication statusPublished - 2015

Keywords

  • Gas chromatography
  • limonene
  • terpinen4ol
  • αterpineol
  • enantiomeric analysis
  • GC–eGCQMS
  • tea tree oil

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