GC-MS ANALYSIS OF INCENSES FOR POSSIBLE PRESENCE OF ALLERGENIC NITROMUSKS

A Gas chromatographic method with mass detector was developed to ident ify and determine nitromusks in incense sticks of different origin (In dia, China, Tibet). The proposed method was found useful to correlate dermatological allergic reactions with the use and composition of comm ercial incense sticks. The incense sticks were powdered, extracted wit h methanol and after the addition of 1-eicosanol as internal standard, injected into the GC-MS, using 25 m bonded phase fused capillary colu mn methyl, 5% phenyl silicone (0.32 mm I.D., 0.25 mu m film thickness) . Musk ambrette was identified and determined in one kind of chinese i ncense together with musk ketone and musk xylene. This latter compound was also found alone in another kind of chinese incense. (C) 1998 Els evier Science B.V.