GC-MS analysis of incenses for possible presence of allergenic nitromusks

A Gas chromatographic method with mass detector was developed to identify and determine nitromusks in incense sticks of different origin (India, China, Tibet). The proposed method was found useful to correlate dermatological allergic reactions with the use and composition of commercial incense sticks. The incense sticks were powdered, extracted with methanol and after the addition of 1-eicosanol as internal standard, injected into the GC-MS, using 25 m bonded phase fused capillary column methyl, 5% phenyl silicone (0.32 mm I.D., 0.25 microns film thickness). Musk ambrette was identified and determined in one kind of chinese incense together with musk ketone and musk xylene. The latter compound was also found alone in another kind of chinese incense.