Gas Chromatographic-Mass Spectrometric Detection of Adulteration of Natural Lime Oils

Distilled and expressed lime oils were characterized by glass capillary gas chromatography. Components present at concentrations greater than 0.1% were identified by mass spectrometry. Expressed oils contained less than 1% monoterpene alcohols, whereas distilled oils contained more than 10%. Expressed oils contained sabinene and 4 times as much beta-pinene as distilled oils. Adulteration was detected by finding component area percents and/or their ratios to be outside the 95% confidence intervals established for pure oils.