Determining Phenolic Compounds in Whiskey using Direct Large Volume Injection and Stir Bar Sorptive Extraction

Abstract

App Note 2/2012

In this study, a method was developed for quantitative determination of seven phenolic compounds in scotch whisky. Two different whisky brands were analyzed by Stir Bar Sorptive Extraction (SBSE), based on novel EG-Silicone Twisters, combined with thermal desorption gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TD-GC-MS). Direct Large Volume Injection (LVI) GC/MS was used as reference method. Optimized methods for LVI-GC/MS and SBSE-TD-GC/MS analysis were used for quantitative determination of the target compounds: phenol, o-,m-, and p-cresol, guaiacol, 4-ethylguaiacol, and 4-ethylphenol. Both methods were evaluated regarding linearity of calibration, reproducibility, and limits of detection (LOD), or limits of quantification (LOQ), for the target compounds. These values were calculated for pure whisky (40 % v/v, ethanol/water).