Reversed Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography of Essential Oils

Abstract

A reversed phase high performance liquid chromatographic procedure for the separation of essential oils is described Applying water-acetonitrile ilution systems on octyl and octadecyl-silane-bonded silica, complex mixtures of sequiterpenes and oxygenated volatile constituents can be resolved, comparably to the quality of gas chromatographic analysis. Photometrical detection at different wavelengths can be an important parameter in optimizing the separation of essential oil constituents. The application of the described method is demonstrated with naturally occurring mixtures of terpenes from leaves of Cistus ladanifer. © 1980, Walter de Gruyter. All rights reserved.