Distinguishing hydroalcoholic wood extracts and monitoring their stages of aging using gas sensors, gas chromatography (GC-MS) and multivariate analysis

• Grant number: 12/15539-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: November 01, 2012
• End date: October 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Analytical Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Douglas Wagner Franco
• Grantee: Alexandre Ataide da Silva
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química de São Carlos (IQSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Currently the woods identification is accomplished visually considering the taxonomy of plant and taking wood collections as a reference. Within the scope of spirits aging, the process taking place in wood barrels is considered a lapidation of the spirits. The diversity of wood found in Brazil is a great potential to be explored, aiming to produce quality beverages, with good acceptability and without prejudice to the health of consumers. In recent years, there are developed methodologies based on spectroscopic data aiming to provide a rapid, inexpensive and accessible tool to identify the wood species used in cooperage for aging beverage. The development of gas sensors, "electronic noses", is a subject that arouses interest due to easy application, portability and low cost. There is however a quite relevant point that should be further explored concerning the identification and characterization of the chemical composition of volatile compounds responsible for the data sensors. The literature describes gas sensors based on different materials. The use of gas sensors based on conductive polymers has shown great potential in the use of different matrices. This project proposes to extend the studies already started using conductive polymer type PPX and PPV and develop new gas sensors prepared based on ionic liquids and biopolymers (gelatin, agar-agar) following its application on the identification of 7 different woods extracts as well as characterize the volatile fraction of these extracts through the use of chromatographic techniques (purge and trap and GC/MS). Also during the execution of this project proposes to follow the different steps of woods extracts aging with special focus in their chemical composition. (AU)