The use of porous polymers for the collection of plant volatiles

✍ Scribed by Rosemary A. Cole

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1980
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 477 KB
• Volume: 31
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0022-5142
• DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.2740311204

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

The collection of plant volatiles on Porapak Q and Tenax GC and subsequent desorption for gas chromatography was investigated using synthetic mixtures of chemicals similar to those obtained from onion and from cruciferous plants. Comparisons were made of the desorption and elution of volatiles collected from chopped swede and onions. Desorption of volatiles by heating from the porous polymers was more effective than eluting, and Tenax GC was found to be the more effective porous polymer for collecting compounds with retention times greater than 9 min on a Carbowax 20M column, as from crucifers. Porapak Q was preferable for collecting compounds with retention times less than 9 min, as from onions. A canonical variate analysis made a comparison of the ‘odour profiles’, obtained by different methods, simple and easy. The volatiles collected from both intact and chopped plants were comparable with those identified in solvent extracts of macerated plants.