The location of 2,4,6-trichloroanisole in a batch of contaminated wine corks

Abstract

Straight wine corks, from a batch with a high proportion of contamination with 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA), were dissected into various sections and the TCA content of these fractions was determined. TCA was found to be concentrated in the outside portion of the cork, and also in the older bark. There was no significant difference in TCA content between the lenticel and non-lenticel cork fractions, between the light and dark portions of the growth rings, nor between the ends and centre parts of the corks. The concentration of TCA in the outer part of the corks indicates that the biomethylation step in the formation of TCA in these corks followed the punching stage of production.