Determination of Volatile Compounds in Hydroalcoholic Extracts of French and American Oak Wood

Abstract

Hydroalcoholic extracts of French oak from different origins (Allier, Central France, Vosges) and of American oak were analyzed by means of gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection. Thirty-nine substances (aldehydes, phenolic compounds, oak lactones, acids, furan derivatives, etc.) were identified, most of them being present in differing amounts in the four extracts. The possibility of using the concentration of some of these compounds in wood in order to distinguish wood sample types is discussed.