Development, optimization and validation of a GC method by polarity phase constants and statistical design of experiments for the determination of monoterpenes in alpinia zerumbet essential oil

Abstract

In this report, a rapid and selective analytical method for the determination of monoterpenes in Alpinia zerumbet essential oil (AZEO) by gas chromatography (GC) flame ionization detection (FID) was developed, optimized and validated. The suitability of six different capillary columns was investigated by polarity phase constants calculated based on the methodology proposed by Rohrschneider and McReynolds. The most suitable column was then used in a central composite design applying the following GC factors to investigate responses based on peak resolutions and analysis time: initial oven temperature, heating rate and carrier gas flow rate. The optimized method has initial oven temperature of 60 °C, heating rate of 5.1 °C min-1 and flow rate of 1.0 mL min-1 using the DB-35 capillary column. The validation acceptance criteria were met in all cases. The method was successfully applied for the quantifcation of major monoterpenes found in AZEO in different samples of Alpinia zerumbet.