Use of Retention Index-Mass Spectral Search for Identification of the Volatiles in Fragrances

Abstract

A combined GC/MS search system using retention indices and mass spectra has been developed. Test searches for γ-decalactone, volatiles of Jasmin absolute and men's cologne have been carried out using the search file created for about 2, 500 compounds.
After separation of the volatiles in men's cologne by GC/MS, both retention indices and mass spectra were fed into a forward spectral search computer program. The identifications were made of the 50 compounds out of 56 peaks on Carbowax 20M column. On the other hand, tentative identifications were made of the 38 compounds using a conventional mass spectral-search. The characteristic of the present system lies in the high search performance by combining retention indices and mass spectra.