Determination of terpenes using Near Infrared Spectroscopy

Everyone knows the typical smell of wood - but what is it that smells (so good)?

The scent is mainly caused by a group of wood components, the terpenes. They are highly volatile, formed in resin canals and help the tree with injuries. But even if the tree has long since become a piece of furniture, they are still there and give off their characteristic scent into a room. For a good indoor climate, the terpene concentration must not be too high, the recommended values should be adhered to. However, current analysis methods are lengthy and complex. With a new approach, the molecules are to be detected using near-infrared spectroscopy - and that in a fraction of the previous measurement time. A correlation between NIR measurements of wood and its chemical composition in cellulose, hemicelluloses, lignin and extractives has already been confirmed. The measured extractive content correlated particularly strongly with the actual content. In this research project, the relationship between the terpene content and the associated terpene emissions is to be investigated using statistical models. NIR spectroscopy is intended to supplement or possibly replace classic analysis methods in order to be able to make precise predictions about emissions and, for example, to remove individual, strongly emitting woods from production at an early stage.

Project: Determination of terpenes using NIRS

Contact Person:

• Dr. Martin Ohlmeyer
• Sarah Majer