A comparative study of discrimination and parameter identification of oil types using near-infrared spectroscopy, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy combined with chemometrics tools

This study aims to explore the effectiveness of three spectroscopic methods, Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS), Fourier Transform InfraRed (FTIR) spectroscopy, and Laser-Induced Fluorescence (LIF) spectroscopy, in conjunction with Principal Component Analysis (PCA) for distinguishing factors related to different extraction techniques and distinguishing between fixed and essential oils. For this investigation, seven oil samples were collected: two extracted through hydro-distillation from two distinct plants and five procured from the kernels of five different samples. The spectra of these oils were captured using the NIRS, FTIR, and LIF techniques. Subsequently, PCA was employed to analyze the spectral data, identifying key features that differentiate the extraction methods (hydro-distillation and kernel extraction) and the types of oils (fixed and essential). The discriminatory parameters highlighted through PCA were further examined to gain insights into the chemical and compositional variances contributing to the distinctions observed in the spectroscopic data. The results indicate that integrating these spectroscopic techniques with PCA makes it feasible to differentiate and better understand the variations between oils based on their extraction methods and types. This approach carries significant implications for enhancing quality assessment and ensuring the authenticity of oils across various applications, including those in the food and cosmetic industries.