An innovative online VFA monitoring system for the anerobic process, based on headspace gas chromatography

A new method for online measurement of volatile fatty acids (VFA) in anerobic digesters has been developed based on headspace gas chromatography (HSGC). The method applies ex situ VFA stripping with variable headspace volume and gas analysis by gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (GC-FID). In each extraction, digester sample was acidified with H(3)PO(4) and NaHSO(4), then heated to strip the VFA into the gas phase. The gas was sampled in a low friction glass syringe before injected into the GC for measurement. The system has been tested for online monitoring of a lab-scale CSTR reactor treating manure for more than 6 months and has shown good agreement with off-line analysis. The system is capable of measuring individual VFA components. This is of advantage since specific VFA components such as propionic and butyric acid can give extra information about the process status. Another important advantage of this sensor is that there is no filtration, which makes possible application in high solids environments. The system can thus be easily applied in a full-scale biogas reactor by connecting the system to the liquid circulation loop to obtain fresh sample from the reactor. Local calibration is needed but automatic calibration is also possible using standard addition method. Sampling duration is 25-40 min, depending on the washing duration, and sensor response is 10 min. This is appropriate for full-scale reactors, since dynamics within most biogas reactors are of the order of several hours.     

钝叶榕榕果挥发物成分及其构成特征分析

为揭示钝叶榕与其传粉榕小蜂及两种协同进果的非传粉榕小蜂Diaziella yangi和Lipothymus sp.间的化学联系与分配机制,采用顶空动态法提取钝叶榕(Ficus curtipes Corner)雌花期和传粉后的榕果挥发物,用定性和定量的方法鉴定、分析了挥发物的成分和变化动态。结果表明:从钝叶榕榕果中共鉴定出45种挥发物成分,主要是单萜类和倍半萜类化合物。6-甲基-5-庚烯-2-酮、β-罗勒烯、反-β-金合欢烯、α-金合欢烯、α-派烯、香桧烯、顺-β-罗勒烯、顺-β-香柠檬烯、大香叶烯D和4,8-二甲基-1,3,7-壬三烯可能是构建钝叶榕特异性化学信息的基础。雌花期榕果挥发物释放量明显高于传粉后挥发物的释放量,且两者在时间和空间上存在异质性。这说明榕蜂育幼繁殖系统间存在着化学信息的联系。     

Sexual and temporal variations in floral scent in the subdioecious shrub Eurya japonica Thunb

In many flowering plants, floral scents are a significant trait for visitors, playing an important role in attracting pollinators and/or detracting herbivores. The evolution of flowering plants from hermaphroditism to dioecy is often accompanied by sexual dimorphism in floral scent. In this study, floral scents emitted by different sexual morphs of the subdioecious shrub Eurya japonica Thunb. were collected using a dynamic headspace method, and sexual and temporal variations were evaluated by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Two volatiles, α‐pinene and linalool, were identified as the major components of floral scents in females, hermaphrodites, and males. The males emit higher amounts of floral scents, particularly α‐pinene, compared to females or hermaphrodites. Floral scents emitted by males generally decrease as flowers enter senescence, whereas those from females or hermaphrodites do not significantly differ. Intraspecific variations in floral scents of subdioecious species provided by this study would contribute to better understanding of sexual dimorphism in floral scent.     

Water lilies and scarabs: faithful partners for 100 million years?

Night-flowering water lilies (Nymphaeaceae) in South America are pollinated by Cyclocephala scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae: Cyclocephalini) in a specialized relationship involving synchronized flowering movements, strong floral scent, food tissues, and heat-producing flowers. We report that a similar and closely related association exists in West Africa between Nymphaea lotus L. and Ruteloryctes morio Fabricius (Cyclocephalini). This finding strongly supports a late Early Cretaceous origin of a symbiosis between the night-flowering water lilies and pollinating Cyclocephalini beetles. We believe that this is the first unambiguous evidence of a plant-pollinator relationship of this age.  © 2003 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2003, 80 , 539–543.     

Discrimination amongst Alliums using an electronic nose

Pyruvic acid content determination and, to lesser extents, thiosulphinates determination and organoleptic tests are used for assessing the eating characteristics of onions and other Allium spp. Each of these methods has inherent limitations, especially when large numbers of samples are to be evaluated. With a view to developing a more convenient quality evaluation method, an electronic nose was used to discriminate flavour and aroma characteristics amongst garlic, leek, shallot, bulb onion and spring onion. Differences in relative sensor response to headspace volatiles over macerated samples of these five different Allium types were recorded. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed some separation among the five types. PCA and Mahalanobis' D² statistic suggested similarities in headspace volatiles for shallot, spring and bulb onions and differences for leek and, especially, garlic. Multiple linear regression analyses (Y =α+β₁X₁+β₁X₂; N_{(x, Y)}=5) of the first two principal component values (PCA 1 [X₁] and PCA 2 [X₂]) accounted for not less than 90% of the total variation in pyruvic acid concentration (Y1), total soluble solids content (Y2) and percentage dry matter content (Y3) of the Allium types. These relationships suggest that electronic nose discrimination was on the basis of quality characteristics that relate to Allium flavour. This work has shown that the electronic nose has potential for flavour characteristic‐based discrimination amongst Allium types. Future work will explore this potential within a single Allium spp.     

Inclusion interactions of cyclodextrins and crosslinked cyclodextrin polymers with linalool and camphor in Lavandula angustifolia essential oil

In the present study, we investigated the feasibility of preparation of novel controlled release systems for the delivery of essential oil used as ambient odors. The inclusion interactions of cyclodextrins (CDs) and β-cyclodextrin polymers with linalool and camphor in Lavandula angustifolia essential oil were investigated by static headspace gas chromatography (SH-GC). The stability constants with monomeric CD derivatives were determined for standard compounds and for the compounds in essential oil. All studied CDs and CD polymers reduce the volatility of the aroma compounds and stable 1:1 inclusion complexes are formed. The retention capacity of the CD derivatives was measured in static experiments. The feasibility of preparation of novel controlled release systems for the delivery of fragrances was investigated by multiple headspace extraction (MHE) experiments.     

Identification of volatile compounds from fungus-infected date fruit that stimulate upwind flight in femaleEctomyelois ceratoniae

Four volatile compounds emitted from fungus-infected date fruit,Phoenix dactylifera L., were identified using coupled gas chromatographic-electroantennographic recordings, coupled gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analysis, electroantennographic assays of synthetic standards, and wind tunnel bioassays. These compounds were ethyl hexanoate, ethanol, acetaldehyde, and 2-phenylethanol. Wind tunnel bioassays showed that ethyl hexanoate was capable of stimulating upwind flight and landing on the source by mated female carob moths,Ectomyelois ceratoniae (Zeller). Addition of both ethanol and acetaldehyde to ethyl hexanoate resulted in an increase in attraction to a level similar to that found for date fruits. No such effect was noted for additions of 2-phenylethanol at the dosages tested. In this study, it appears that ethyl hexanoate is a dominant olfactory stimulant and attractant for mated female carob moths, and represents a novel compound with regard to previously identified lepidopteran host odor attractants.     

Interspecific variation in floral fragrances within the genus Narcissus (Amaryllidaceae)

To improve our understanding of the floral biology, pollination, and systematics of the genus Narcissus, a comparative study was made of flower volatiles from nine species native to southern Spain using headspace collection and GC-MS analysis. The species fell into three fragrance types based on the identity of their major volatiles. In all but one species the fragrances consisted mainly of monoterpene isoprenoids mixed with benzenoids: in six species trans-ß-ocimene occurred in high proportions, in two others it was lacking; the last species had a fragrance dominated by fatty acid derivatives, mixed with terpenoids. Two of the species showed marked intraspecific variation in many of their volatiles. When the volatile data matrix of all species was subjected to cluster analyses and the resulting phenetic trees compared with currently recognized taxonomic groups, there was no congruence at the subgeneric level. However, there was considerable agreement at the sectional level, although in most sections we studied only a single species. This apparent agreement was stronger when the volatiles were analyzed according to shared biosynthetic pathways rather than treated individually, pointing to the higher value of using biosynthetic pathways for uncovering and confirming phenetic, and probable evolutionary, relationships among species. In terms of possible selective pressures from pollinators in shaping fragrance chemistry, available information on the pollination of our species suggested an association between fragrance and types of pollinators. Two pollinator-fragrance groups were apparent: (1) species pollinated by insects that include butterflies and moths displayed fragrances containing volatiles typical of moth-pollinated flowers, most particularly indole combined with high amounts of esters, and (2) species visited exclusively by insects other than butterflies and moths, especially by bees and flies, had fragrances lacking this combination of volatiles. Narcissus assoanus was unusual among our species in having both fragrance chemotypes. Future pollination studies of Narcissus in the field are needed to test the reliability and predictability of the proposed fragrance-pollinator associations.