Profiling of Volatile Components Using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry in Commercial Pine Needle (Pinus densiflora S. and Z.) Powder

Volatile components in commercial pine needle (Pinus densiflora S. and Z.) powder were extracted using simultaneous steam distillation and a solvent extraction (SDE) apparatus, and were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A total of 230 compounds divided into 13 groups were identified, which included alcohols (42), ketones (39), aldehydes (32), terpenes (30), alkenes (17), esters (14), furans (14), benzenes (10), alkanes (8), napthalenes (7), acids (6), miscellaneous compounds (6), and phenols (5). Among the 230 compounds identified, 96 compounds were positively confirmed and quantified, and the rest of the compounds were tentatively identified. The major volatile components identified at relatively high levels were dodecanoic acid, hexadecanoic acid, hexanal, benzaldehyde, (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol, 1-penten-3-one, limonene, and β-caryophyllene oxide. Among the groups, terpenes accounted for 60.18% of the total concentration of all the volatile components. Some volatile components might account for the unique aroma and the biological activity of the sample.