Electrolysis of agarwood oil and analysis of the chemical profiles with TLC and GC-MS

Abstract

This study develops electrolysis approach to treat agarwood oil. The oil sample was added with water enhancing conductivity of the sample and enabling electrolysis. The samples before and after the electrolysis were initially analyzed using thin layer chromatography (TLC). The TLC method applied the mobile phase system of DCM and Hexane with 7:3 v/v ratio. This method was used to investigate the sample undergoing electrolysis under different conditions. The electrolysis time of 1 h, electrolysis voltage of 9 V and addition of 1 %v/v of water were selected as the suitable conditions resulting in significant change of the TLC result after the electrolysis. The samples were also analyzed with solid phase micro extraction (SPME) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in order to identify the volatile compounds according to comparison with MS and retention index database of NIST17. The analysis showed the decreasing amount of γ-Eudesmol, Toluene, 1-Pentanol, 4-methyl, cis-Thujopsene with the increasing amounts of 2-Butanone, 4-phenyl, Khusimone, Propanoic acid, 2-methyl, 1-Hexanol, Benzaldehyde, Cyclohexane, 1-methylene-4-(1-methylethenyl), Cadrene after the electrolysis. The developed approach is expectedly applicable for either adjusted quality of essential oil or study of agarwood stability in the future.