Application of headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography mass spectrometry (HS-SPME GC-MS) analysis to support illicit timber trafficking investigations

Abstract Large quantities of timber are covertly trafficked through legitimate maritime routes, however the complexity of global trade networks, combined with inadequate detection tools, enables trafficking to persist and hinders prosecution efforts. This study investigates the feasibility of volatilome profiling using Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) for the detection and identification of Pterocarpus indicus , a commercially and ecologically significant species, via air samples. Headspace (HS) analysis was performed using solid-phase microextraction (SPME) with samples subjected to different treatments (untreated, oven drying or freeze drying), or mixed in different ratios with pine ( Pinus radiata ), a common legally exported wood. Sixteen compounds were tentatively identified from P. indicus , predominantly consisting of oxygenated sesquiterpenes, the emission of which was adversely influenced by drying methods. The volatilomes profiled from each wood type could also be visually differentiated in mixed samples and form the basis of a preliminary screening approach for identifying high-risk timber species in heterogenous timber shipments. Our preliminary findings suggest that HS-SPME GC-MS could be adapted as a non-invasive screening approach for cargo container inspections, facilitating initial assessment of potential trafficking activity without compromising cargo integrity or necessitating intrusive inspection procedures.