The First Application of 1H NMR Spectroscopy for the Assessment of the Authenticity of Perfumes

The manufacture of counterfeit goods is one of the world's largest underground businesses and is rapidly growing. Counterfeits can lead not only to the loss of profit for honest producers but also have a negative impact on consumers who pay excessive prices for poor quality goods that may result in health or safety problems. The perfume industry is constantly vulnerable to counterfeits, particularly in the fast developing market of smell-alike designer-inspired perfumes because these prompt the identification of the methods that classify their quality. In this paper, the application of proton nuclear magnetic resonance (H-1 NMR) spectroscopy is employed for the first time to authenticate perfumery products. The molecular composition of several types of authentic brand fragrances for women was compared with cheap inspired equivalents and fakes. Our approach offers the prospect of a fast and simple method for detecting counterfeit perfumes using H-1 NMR spectroscopy.

Automated summary

Counterfeit goods are a major underground business globally, causing both financial losses to honest producers and potential health hazards to consumers. The perfume industry, especially in the realm of designer-inspired fragrances, is particularly susceptible to counterfeits, prompting the need for innovative authentication methods like H-1 NMR spectroscopy.