Enantioselective analysis of monoterpene compounds in essential oils by stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE)–enantio‐MDGC–MS

Stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE), a recently introduced solventless extraction technique, was applied for the enantioselective analysis of chiral monoterpenes in tea tree oil, eucalyptus oil and thyme oil using enantioselective multidimensional gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (enantio‐MDGC–MS). In addition, headspace sorptive extraction (HSSE) and in vivo headspace sorptive extraction ( in vivo HSSE) of the chiral monoterpenes in three aromatic and medicinal plants, thyme [ Thymus vulgaris (L.)], eucalyptus [ Eucalyptus globulus (L.)] and tea tree [ Melaleuca alternifolia (C.)], was investigated and the results of the different sampling techniques were compared and discussed. This method was utilized in order to establish characteristic authenticity profiles of the essential oils. Moreover, the enantiomeric ratios of the major and minor chiral components emitted in living plants were determined.