Rapid evaluation and quantitative analysis of eugenol derivatives in essential oils and cosmetic formulations on human skin using attenuated total reflectance-infrared spectroscopy

We studied the fragrances 4-allylbenzenes (eugenol, methyl eugenol, acetyl eugenol) as well as 4-propenylbenzenes (isoeugenol) in commercial essential oils using a fast and nondestructive attenuated total reflectance-infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy method. The method was based on ATR-IR utilizing partial least square regression. The calibrations were modeled in the characteristic region for eugenol (1430-1432 cm(-1)), isoeugenol (960-970 cm(-1)) and methyl eugenol (803-807 cm(-1)). The models were then applied to predict the percutaneous absorption process yield and to monitor the concentrations of eugenol derivatives on human skin.