Abstract: In this study, we examined the effects of different organic solvents on the extraction efficiency and composition of organic sulfur-containing compounds from tillering onion. The organic sulfur-containing compounds were extracted by dichloromethane and ethyl acetate and n-hexane, respectively, and then analyzed by headspace solid phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS). The optimum extraction conditions with dichloromethane as the extraction solvent were determined to be 4 h extraction at a ratio of material to liquid of 1:4 (g/mL) with stirring at 250 r/min, leading to a yield of (0.413 3 ± 0.007)%, which was higher than those obtained with ethyl acetate and n-hexane as the extraction solvent, (0.273 3 ± 0.011)% and (0.288 9 ± 0.009)%, respectively. A total of 45 components were extracted by the three solvents and 9 organic sulfur-containing compounds were detected in each solvent extract, among which, thiophenes and thioethers were predominant. In addition, 12, 3 and 8 unique organic sulfur-containing compounds were extracted by methylene chloride, ethyl acetate, and n-hexane.

Key words: organic solvent extraction, tillering onion, organic sulfur-containing compounds, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry