Comprehensive Analytical Profiling for Sustainable Jewelry: A Multi-Technique Characterization of Essential...

Area of Science:

• Biomass Chemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Green Chemistry

Background:

• Rosin, a pine-derived resin, is a sustainable material but has an odor limiting its use.
• Essential oils (EOs) offer a potential solution for odor mitigation in natural products.

Purpose of the Study:

• To mitigate rosin's odor using eucalyptus (EUC) and peppermint (MINT) essential oils.
• To characterize the chemical profile of modified rosin jewelry using a multi-analytical approach.

Main Methods:

• Implemented LC-Q/TOF-MS for non-volatile components and GC-Q/TOF-MS for volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
• Utilized multivariate statistical analysis to correlate chemical variations with scent profiles.

Main Results:

• Rosin's core composition (abietic acid >48%) remained stable after EO incorporation.
• Peppermint-modified rosin showed 2.57-fold higher total VOC signal than eucalyptus-modified rosin.
• Identified key VOCs like menthone, menthol, eucalyptol, and limonene, linking them to scent differences.

Conclusions:

• A multi-technique analytical strategy effectively guided and assessed functional modification of rosin.
• Findings support developing eco-friendly products by improving rosin's properties and providing a characterization framework.