GC-MS-Olfactometry optimization testing method using Tenax TA specific odor

Abstract

Thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry/olfactometry (TD-GC-MS/O) is a useful method to specify odor compounds in the complex odor. However, a number of odor compounds are chemically unstable, odor quality often changes by thermal decomposition and/or oxidation of the odor compounds in multistep analytical procedures. In this work, to minimize the change in odor quality, 3 steps of test methods were examined; Test 1: Determination of the most appropriate temperature at the thermal desorption process, Test 2: Confirmation of optimal analytical conditions of TD-GC-MS/O, and Test 3: Verification of the detected odors in TD-GC-MS/O analysis. To achieve these test methods, the specific odor of new Tenax TA porous polymer beads produced by heating at 280°C(Tenax TA odor) was used along with Carbotrap300 adsorbent. Both the most appropriate temperature at the thermal desorption process and the maximum temperature in the instrument were estimated to be 250°C by Test 1 and 2. Under the optimized conditions, twelve element odor compounds in Tenax TA odor were specified by three panels using TD-GC-MS/O, among which seven odor compounds were identified by mass spectrum. These results demonstrated that the 3 steps of the proposed test methods were suitable for the optimization of TD-GC-MS/O analytical conditions.