SPME Analysis of Potential Attractants for Palm Weevils

Abstract

Solid-phase microextraction was applied for the analysis of a mixture of potential attractants for palm weevils, constituted by seven organic compounds. Various fibers, coated with different sorbent phases, were used in this study and the best results were obtained with the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)/divinylbenzene (DVB) and the Carboxen/PDMS fibers. A waiting time of 5 min before sampling was adequate for sample homogenisation and a sampling time of 30 min was used to obtain good extraction efficiencies. A complete desorption of the analytes into the injection port of the gas chromatograph was achieved with an injection time of 1 min. The detection limit of the method ranged from 0.29 to 156 ng/ml for the different components of the mixture, with a lower detection limit for the compounds with higher affinity for the fiber coating. This method was used in the analysis of volatiles released from a diffuser filled with the attractant mixture.     

Multicolour Fluorescent Memory Based on the Interaction of Hydroxy Terphenyls with Fluoride Anions

Memory operations based on variation of a molecule’s properties are important because they may lead to device miniaturization to the molecular scale or increasingly complex information processing protocols beyond the binary level. Molecular memory also introduces possibilities related to information‐storage security where chemical information (or reagents) might be used as an encryption key, in this case, acidic/basic reagents. Chemical memory that possesses both volatile and non‐volatile functionality requires reversible conversion between at least two chemically different stable or quasi‐stable states. Here we have developed the phenol–phenoxide equilibrium of phenol fluorophores as a data storage element, which can be used to write or modulate data using chemical reagents. The properties of this system allow data to be stored and erased either in non‐volatile or volatile modes. We also demonstrate non‐binary switching of states made possible by preparation of  a composite containing the molecular memory elements.     

Analysis of irradiated food

Foods, e.g. chicken, shrimps, frog legs, spices, different dried vegetables, potatoes and fruits are legally irradiated in many countries and are probably also exported into countries, which do not permit irradiation of any food. Therefore all countries need analytical methods to determine whether food has been irradiated or not. Up to now, two physical (ESR-spectroscopy and thermoluminescence) and two chemical methods (o-tyrosine and volatile compounds) are available for routine analysis. Several results of the application of these four mentioned methods on different foods are presented and a short outlook on other methods (chemiluminescence, DNA-changes, biological assays, viscometric method and photostimulated luminescence) will be given.     

New oxygenated himachalenes in male-specific odor of the Chinese windmill butterfly,Byasa alcinous alcinous

Male adults of the Chinese windmill Byasa alcinous alcinous (Papilionidae) are well known to have a strong musk-like odor, in which two oxygenated himachalene compounds, together with six sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, were newly discovered. γ-Himachalen-4-yl acetate (1) was the predominant compound isolated from the solvent extract of the males. The structure of 1 was determined using MS and NMR, and its relative configuration was established as 1S^*,4R^*,6R^* by NOE analysis with the help of quantum mechanical computation. Interestingly, the amount of 1 in males increased until 7 days after eclosion, suggesting that this compound is involved in sexual maturation for mating. Another new compound was identified as γ-himachalen-4-ol (2) by comparison with the retention time and mass spectrum of the hydrolysate of 1. Since males of other papilionid species have general volatiles omnipresent in plants and insects, the presence of species-specific volatiles in males is characteristic of B. alcinous alcinous.     

A reduced mechanism for primary reactions of coal volatiles in a plug flow reactor

In the present paper, the authors study the primary reactions of coal volatiles and a detailed mechanism has been made for three different environments: thermal decomposition (pyrolysis), partial oxidation (O₂) and O₂/CO₂ gasification in a plug flow reactor to analyze the combustion component. The computed results have similar trend for three different environments with the experimental data. A systematically reduced mechanism for O₂/CO₂ gasification has also been derived by examination of Rate of Production (ROP) analysis from the detailed mechanism (255 species and 1095 reactions). The reduced mechanism shows similar result and has been validated by comparing the calculated concentrations of H₂, CH₄, H₂O, CO, CO₂ and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) with those of the detailed mechanism in a wide range of operating conditions. The authors also predicted the concentration profiles of H₂, CO, CO₂ and PAH at high temperature and high pressure.     

Identification of Free and Glycosidically Bound Volatiles and Glycosides by Capillary GC and Capillary GC‐MS in “Lulo del Chocó” (Solanum topiro)

The volatile constituents of lulo del Chocó (Solanum topiro) fruit pulp obtained by liquid‐liquid extraction were analyzed by capillary GC and capillary GC‐MS. In total, 30 components were identified with methyl salicylate, hexadecanoic acid, hexanal, guaiacol, ethyl butanoate, and ethyl acetate being the major components. Chirospecific MDGC analysis revealed the predominance of (R)‐ethyl‐3‐hydroxybutanoate (ee 40%) and the presence of racemic mixtures both of δ‐octalactone and of δ‐decalactone. For γ‐hexalactone, γ‐octalactone, and γ‐decalactone enantiomeric distributions of 22.4 : 77.6, 22.9 : 77.1, and 20.0 : 80.0, (R) : (S), respectively, were determined. Glycosidically bound aroma compounds were identified by capillary GC and capillary GC‐MS after isolation of the glycosidic fraction obtained by Amberlite XAD‐2 adsorption and methanol elution followed by hydrolysis with a commercial pectinase enzyme. In total 13 bound aroma compounds (aglycones) were identified. These aglycones mainly consisted of compounds exhibiting aromatic structures. Additionally, with the aid of capillary GC and capillary GC‐MS (EI and NCI) of trifluoroacetylated derivatives we identified eight glucosides: the novel 3,6‐epoxy‐7‐megastigmen‐5,9‐diol β‐D‐glucopyranoside and the hexyl, benzyl, linalyl oxide (furanic), 2‐phenylethyl, vomifolyl (isomer 1), (6S,9R)‐vomifolyl, and scopoletin β‐D‐glucopyranosides.     

Identification of Key Aroma Compounds Responsible for the Floral Ascents of Green and Black Teas from Different Tea Cultivars

Chemicals underlying the floral aroma of dry teas needs multi-dimensional investigations. Green, black, and freeze-dried tea samples were produced from five tea cultivars, and only ‘Chunyu2’ and ‘Jinguanyin’ dry teas had floral scents. ‘Chunyu2’ green tea contained the highest content of total volatiles (134.75 μg/g) among green tea samples, while ‘Jinguanyin’ black tea contained the highest content of total volatiles (1908.05 μg/g) among black tea samples. The principal component analysis study showed that ‘Chunyu2’ and ‘Jinguanyin’ green teas and ‘Chunyu2’ black tea were characterized by the abundant presence of certain alcohols with floral aroma, while ‘Jinguanyin’ black tea was discriminated due to the high levels of certain alcohols, esters, and aldehydes. A total of 27 shared volatiles were present in different tea samples, and the contents of 7 floral odorants in dry teas had correlations with those in fresh tea leaves (p < 0.05). Thus, the tea cultivar is crucial to the floral scent of dry tea, and these seven volatiles could be promising breeding indices.     

Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography as a Powerful Strategy for the Exploration of Broas Volatile Composition

Broa is a Portuguese maize bread with characteristic sensory attributes that can only be achieved using traditional maize varieties. This study intends to disclose the volatile compounds that are mainly associated with the baking process of broas, which can be important contributors to their aroma. Twelve broas were prepared from twelve maize flours (eleven traditional maize varieties and one commercial hybrid). Their volatile compounds were analyzed by GC×GC–ToFMS (two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry) for an untargeted screening of the chemical compounds mainly formed during baking. It was possible to identify 128 volatiles that belonged to the main chemical families formed during this stage. Among these, only 16 had been previously detected in broas. The most abundant were furans, furanones, and pyranones, but the most relevant for the aroma of broas were ascribed to sulfur-containing compounds, in particular dimethyl trisulfide and methanethiol. Pyrazines might contribute negatively to the aroma of broas since they were present in higher amounts in the commercial broa. This work constitutes the most detailed study of the characterization of broas volatile compounds, particularly those formed during the Maillard reaction. These findings may contribute to the characterization of other maize-based foodstuffs, ultimately improving the production of foods with better sensory features.     

Volatile Organic Compounds and Physiological Parameters as Markers of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Infection with Phytopathogens

The feasibility of early disease detection in potato seeds storage monitoring of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and plant physiological markers was evaluated using 10 fungal and bacterial pathogens of potato in laboratory-scale experiments. Data analysis of HS-SPME-GC-MS revealed 130 compounds released from infected potatoes, including sesquiterpenes, dimethyl disulfide, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, 2,6,11-trimethyldodecane, benzothiazole, 3-octanol, and 2-butanol, which may have been associated with the activity of Fusarium sambucinum, Alternaria tenuissima and Pectobacterium carotovorum. In turn, acetic acid was detected in all infected samples. The criteria of selection for volatiles for possible use as incipient disease indicators were discussed in terms of potato physiology. The established physiological markers proved to demonstrate a negative effect of phytopathogens infecting seed potatoes not only on the kinetics of stem and root growth and the development of the entire root system, but also on gas exchange, chlorophyll content in leaves, and yield. The negative effect of phytopathogens on plant growth was dependent on the time of planting after infection. The research also showed different usefulness of VOCs and physiological markers as the indicators of the toxic effect of inoculated phytopathogens at different stages of plant development and their individual organs.     

Detailed Chemical Prospecting of Volatile Organic Compounds Variations from Adriatic Macroalga Halopteris scoparia

The present study aimed to isolate volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from fresh (FrHSc) and air-dried (DrHSc) Halopteris scoparia (from the Adriatic Sea) by headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and hydrodistillation (HD) and to analyse them by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The impact of the season of growth (May–September) and air-drying on VOC composition was studied for the first time, and the obtained data were elaborated by principal component analysis (PCA). The most abundant headspace compounds were benzaldehyde, pentadecane (a chemical marker of brown macroalgae), and pentadec-1-ene. Benzaldehyde abundance decreased after air-drying while an increment of benzyl alcohol after drying was noticed. The percentage of pentadecane and heptadecane increased after drying, while pentadec-1-ene abundance decreased. Octan-1-ol decreased from May to September. In HD-FrHSc, terpenes were the most abundant in June, July, and August, while, in May and September, unsaturated aliphatic compounds were dominant. In HD-DrHSc terpenes, unsaturated and saturated aliphatic compounds dominated. (E)-Phytol was the most abundant compound in HD-FrHSc through all months except September. Its abundance increased from May to August. Two more diterpene alcohols (isopachydictyol A and cembra-4,7,11,15-tetraen-3-ol) and sesquiterpene alcohol gleenol were also detected in high abundance. Among aliphatic compounds, the dominant was pentadec-1-ene with its peak in September, while pentadecane was present with lower abundance. PCA (based on the dominant compound analyses) showed distinct separation of the fresh and dried samples. No correlation was found between compound abundance and temperature change. The results indicate great seasonal variability of isolated VOCs, as well among fresh and dried samples, which is important for further chemical biodiversity studies.