| Published Scientific Papers on Thujone |
Determination of α-/β-Thujone and Related Terpenes in Absinthe using Solid Phase
Extraction and Gas Chromatography
By Joachim Emmert, Günter Sartor, Frank Sporer and Joachim Gummersbach
Published in Deutsche Lebensmittel-Rundschau, Vol 9 2004
Extraction and Gas Chromatography
By Joachim Emmert, Günter Sartor, Frank Sporer and Joachim Gummersbach
Published in Deutsche Lebensmittel-Rundschau, Vol 9 2004
Summary
A solid-phase extraction method (SPE) is proposed as a novel sample preparation method for the simultaneous determination of α-, β-
thujone, and anethole in absinthe. It is followed by capillary gas chromatography (GC) with flame ionisation detection (FID) or mass
spectrometry (MS) for final quantitation of the terpenes.
Anethole was quantitated with external standard calibration, whereas α-thujone was evaluated by standard addition and finally
confirmed by MS. In many samples a terpene with almost identical retention time in GC interfered with α-thujone, which was revealed in
MS as linalool (M = 154.2). This compound was also found in extract of wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) and is very likely responsible
for formerly reported high values of thujone in absinthe. The use of MS for quantitation or at least for identification of the compounds is
therefore highly recommended.
A solid-phase extraction method (SPE) is proposed as a novel sample preparation method for the simultaneous determination of α-, β-
thujone, and anethole in absinthe. It is followed by capillary gas chromatography (GC) with flame ionisation detection (FID) or mass
spectrometry (MS) for final quantitation of the terpenes.
Anethole was quantitated with external standard calibration, whereas α-thujone was evaluated by standard addition and finally
confirmed by MS. In many samples a terpene with almost identical retention time in GC interfered with α-thujone, which was revealed in
MS as linalool (M = 154.2). This compound was also found in extract of wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) and is very likely responsible
for formerly reported high values of thujone in absinthe. The use of MS for quantitation or at least for identification of the compounds is
therefore highly recommended.
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