Essential oils contain phenols, acids, antioxidants, vitamins, provitamins, hormones, prohormones, enzymes, coenzymes and other compound groups. Essential oils are classified according to the components of the most important chemical compounds or their values determined by the pharmacological effect. Classically, they are divided into three groups – monoterpenoids, sesquiterpenoids and aromatic compounds. Monoterpenoids of natural origin are divided into subgroups which include acyclic, cyclic and bicyclic monoterpenes. The only tricyclic representative of monoterpenes is tricyclene. Sesquiterpenoids are classified according to the number of hydrocarbon rings and double bonds formed. A distinction can be made between acyclic and cyclic (monocyclic, bicyclic, tricyclic) forms. Aromatic compounds may include p-cymene, benzene and phenylpropane derivatives. Stabilizers are often added to preserve the content of essential oils when they contain aldehydes. These include antioxidants such as hydroquinone, alkyl derivatives of phenolic compounds (terpene phenols) and others that react easily with oxygen in the air to prevent oxidation of the basic products. Successful separation of these types of mixtures into components and their identification by gas chromatography serves as a convenient tool for manufacturers in the development of new products and services.

  • Preparation of the obtained samples for analysis
  • Performing chemical analyses using the required methods
  • Comparison of the obtained results with the maximum permissible concentration or indicative permissible concentration
  • Preparation of results and assessment of the degree of hazard of the identified substances

ISO 11024-2:1998 Essential oils – General guidance on chromatographic profiles

ISO 3218:2014 Essential oils – Principles of nomenclature

ISO 9841:2013 Essential oil of hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis L. ssp. officinalis)

ISO 10869:2010 Oil of fir needle, Siberian (Abies sibirica Ledeb.)

Clarus gas chromatograph with mass selective detector (GC/MS) and automatic sample introduction system. The requirements for the chromatographic band profile are described in ISO 11024-1 and ISO 11024-2.

Compound CAS Nr. Compound CAS Nr.
Santene - Sabinene 3387-41-5
Tricyclene 508-32-7 Myrcene 123-35-3
α-Pinene  80-56-8 Linalool 78-70-6
Camphene 79-92-5 trans-Pinocamphone 547-61-5
β-Pinene  127-91-3 cis-Pinocamphone 30469-23-8
δ-3-Carene 13466-78-9 Myrtenol 19894-97-4
Limonene 138-86-3 β-Bourbonene 5208-59-3
β-Phellandrene 555-10-2 Alloaromadendrene  25246-27-9
Bornyl acetate 76-49-3 Germacrene D 37839-63-7
β-Caryophyllene 87-44-5 Bicyclogermacrene 67650-90-2
Isobornyl acetate 125-12-2 Elemol 639-99-6
Borneol 507-70-0 Spathulenol 6750-60-3
α-Humulene 6753-98-6 Caryophyllene oxide 1139-30-6
    α-Eudesmol 473-16-5