GC-MS analysis of curcumin dye after selective degradation treatment

Curcumin dye in methanol solution was treated in 100°C oven (OV) and H₂O₂/UV/O₂ (PER) conditions and the degradation products were examined using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Curcumin itself was not detected from either the OV or PER degraded samples. From OV degradation samples curcumene1, o-coumaric acid2, vanillin3, 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol4, benzene, 1-(3-cyclopentylpropyl)-2,4-dimethyl-45, 1-(4-hydroxy-benzylidene) acetone6, feruloylmethane7, and 2-propenoic acid, 3-4-(acetyloxy)-3-methoxy phenyl]-, methyl ester8 were detected. From PER degraded samples new products benzoic acid9 and vanillic acid10 were detected additionally. Under the same GC-MS instrumental condition, it is possible that the burial degraded curcumin dye or curcumin dyed textile will exhibit area peaks around 6.2∼6.5 min and 8.3∼8.4 min retention times, which have the mass spectrum matching closely with products3, 4, 7, 8 or9, 10.