A method for fast analysis of volatile components of Citrus aurantium L. leaves

To avoid the traditional and time consuming hydrodistillation, the analyses of volatile components in leaves of Citrus aurantium L. were carried out by a simple microwave distillation followed by headspace single drop microextraction (MD-HS-SDME) coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The headspace volatile compounds were collected after irradiation using a single drop of n-heptadecan. The extraction conditions were optimized using the relative peak areas as index. The chemical composition of the MD-HS-SDME extracts was confirmed according to their retention indexes and mass spectra. Forty-one components were extracted and identified by using the MD-HS-SDME method. Limonene (62%), Linalool (7.47%), trans--Ocimene (3.47%), Caryophyllene (2.05%), - Bisabolene (1.8%) and Myrcene (1.18%) were the major constituents.