Qualitative and quantitative analysis of petitgrain Eureka lemon essential oil by fused silica capillary column gas chromatography mass spectrometry

Abstract

Abstract The identification of Algerian petitgrain Eureka lemon essential oil was carried out by gas liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry in electronic impact mode using a fused silica capillary column (FFAP). The results enabled a previous study on this oil to be completed where the relative retention data and chemical derivation reactions had been performed. A preparative gas chromatography was applied to give a better g.c.‐m.s.analysis of minor compounds; thus, two new products (citronellyl n ‐propionate and cedrol) were revealed by this method. Only 80 compounds were identified after indexation of 137 mass spectra and after comparison with those in the literature because most mass spectra data banks are not well adapted for the identification of essential oils. A global comparison of the percentage composition of the major compounds of this oil with those in other petitgrain lemon essential oils has revealed distinct differences. From the mass spectra of nine monoterpenic hydrocarbons, it was shown that comparison of the intensity ratio of the characteristic fragment ions in EI mode, which has been suggested by some authors as a general method of identification of compounds with similar mass spectra, is not reliable.