Application of Solid Phase Microextraction and Chemometrics in Analysis of Volatile Components in Cinnamon Extract

In the present study, the volatile compounds of the cinnamon extract were separated using solid phase microextraction. Polyamide nanofibers prepared by electrospun technique was used in the separation procedure. The scanning electron microscope image from polyamide nanofibers shows adequate porosity with 50-100 nm. Chemometrics methods such as experimental design and multivariate curve resolution were used to obtain optimum results and to resolve the overlapped peak clusters. Experimental design with central composite design approach was used to optimize the extraction conditions in solid phase microextraction. The extracted samples were separated and analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry technique. Even in the optimum conditions of extraction and separation, there are overlaps in some parts of the obtained chromatogram. In order to overcome this problem, the multivariate curve resolution-alternating least squares method was implemented to resolve the overlapped peak clusters into concentration and spectral profiles. Using explained methods in the optimum condition, 30 compounds have been identified in the cinnamon extract. The most important volatile compounds in the extract are trans-cinnamaldehyde (51.23%), Eugenol (26.45%), Cinnamic acid (4.72%), Gurjunene (1.81%) and Copaene (1.44%). In the present study, the chemical composition in the cinnamon extract can be determined at low temperature without any side reaction.The present procedure can be used for separation and identification of volatile compounds in complex mixtures like medicinal plants in optimum condition as a fast and inexpensive routine.