Analysis of terpenes in dried wood using thermal desorption-GC-TOFMS
Introduction
Terpenes are organic compounds consisting of isoprene units (C5). Depending on the number of isoprene units, they are called monoterpenes (C10), sesquiterpenes (C15), diterpenes (C20), etc. Derivatives with functional groups such as carbonyl and hydroxyl are called terpenoids. Some terpenoids have a carbon number that is not a multiple of 5 due to addition or elimination during the derivatization process. There are many types of these terpenes and their uses are diverse, such as raw materials for industrial products, foods, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals, etc. Terpenes are also known as aromatic components of plants, and are particularly abundant in coniferous trees. In this MSTips, we will introduce the analysis of terpenes in cedar and cypress wood using thermal desorption (TD)-GC-TOFMS.