VOLUME 67 : 2019

An innovative technique in the differentiation of five wood species (Pterocarpus indicus, Acacia auriculaeformis, Gmelina arborea, Vitex parviflora, and Diospyros philippinensis) was carried out using headspace Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and chemometrics. The unique headspace fingerprint of each wood species was obtained through an extractive headspace FTIR analysis. The FTIR spectra included absorption peaks which indicated the presence of several functional groups, but the use of the spectra alone for discrimination is visually difficult and too complex. Through the use of principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), the wood samples were discriminated by their taxonomical species. This study demonstrates the capability of headspace FTIR technique in wood headspace analysis and its potential as a simple, non-destructive, and rapid alternative for wood species identification.