Determination of Australian Tea Tree Oil (Melaleuca alternifolia) Composition Using Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry

Tea tree oil is an essential oil with beneficial properties distilled from the native Australian plant Melaleuca alternifolia. However, there is concern that adulteration with synthetic compounds or other essential oil by-products cannot be detected with current authentication standards. In this project, a library of authentic and known provenance M. alternifolia oil samples will be characterised using gas chromatography mass spectrometry to better understand the unique composition of Australian tea tree oil. The results will be submitted to a peer reviewed scientific journal as an independent reference of tea tree oil composition to ensure authenticity can be better verified in the future.