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1997
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September
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In the Laboratory
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Identification of Volatile Flavor Components by Headspace Analysis: A Quick and Easy Experiment for Introducing GC/MS
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Richard Kjonaas, Jean L. Soller, and Leslee A. McCoy
Indiana State University, Department of Chemistry, 51 Science Building, Terre Haute, IN 47809
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September 1997
Vol. 74 No. 9
p. 1104
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| Abstract |
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By placing a piece of chewing gum (Wrigley's) or a crushed
piece of hard candy (LifeSavers or Runts) into a vial, followed
by GC/MS analysis of a five microliter sample of the headspace,
students are able to identify several of the volatile flavoring
components which are present. The experiment has been used
successfully with sophomore organic chemistry students, and with
visiting groups of talented high school students over a three
year period. Identification is simplified by handing out a list
of the structural formulas of some likely candidates. Some of
the components that these students easily identity include ethyl
acetate, isobutyl acetate, isoamyl acetate, ethyl butyrate,
benzaldehyde, benzyl alcohol, limonene, and cinnamaldehyde. Some
of the more difficult to identify components include menthol,
menthone, carvone, cineole, myrcene, alpha-pinene, beta-pinene,
para-cymene, and gama-terpinene. Most of the major headspace
components give signals whose size is comparable to that of the
carbon dioxide which is present in each injection. Even with
split injection, the background noise is trivial compared to the
signals from the major components. The experiments were carried
out with a commercially available tabletop GC/MS (Varian 3400
with Saturn MS).
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| More Information |
 Citation |
Kjonaas, Richard; Soller, Jean L.; McCoy, Leslee A. J. Chem. Educ. 1997 74 1104.
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Keywords |
Instrumental Methods, Organic Chemistry, Food Science, Mass Spectrometry, Natural Products, and Qualitative Analysis
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History |
Created:
Last Updated: |
July 28, 1999
June 23, 2005
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| Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues >
1997
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September
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1104
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