Extraction and Identification of Volatile Organic Compounds Emitted by Fragrant Flowers of Three Tillandsia Species by HS-SPME/GC-MS.

Mame-Marietou Lo,Roland Molinié,Jean-Xavier Fontaine,Patrick Meffre,David Bénimélis,Zohra Benfodda

doi:10.3390/metabo11090594

Abstract

Numerous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) with a large chemical diversity are emitted by plant flowers. They play an important role in the ecology of plants, such as pollination, defense, adaptation to their environment, and communication with other organisms. The Tillandsia genus belongs to the Bromeliaceae family, and most of them are epiphytes. The aromatic profile of the Tillandsia genus is scarcely described. In this study, we use the headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled with gas chromatography combined with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method developed in our laboratory to explore the chemical diversity of the VOCs of fragrant flowers of three species of the genus Tillandsia. We were able to identify, for the first time, 66 volatile compounds (monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, phenylpropanoids, and other compounds). We identified 30 compounds in T. xiphioides, 47 compounds in T. crocata, and 43 compounds in T. caliginosa. Only seven compounds are present in all the species studied. Comparison of the volatile compounds profiles by principal component analysis (PCA) between T. xiphoides, T. crocata, and T. caliginosa species showed a clear difference in the floral emissions of the studied species. Moreover, floral VOCs profiles allowed to differentiate two forms of T. xiphioides and of T. crocata.

Highlights

A wide variety of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are produced and emitted by plants, especially in organs such as flowers, leaves, fruits, and roots
It was shown that the CAR/PDMS fiber allowed to extract the maximum of volatile compounds from T. xiphioides flowers compared to PDMS/DVB and DVB/CAR/PDMS fibers; considering the volatility of analytes affecting the optimal conditions of temperature and duration of extraction, it is necessary to use two extraction methods in order to trap the majority of volatiles emitted by Tillandsia flowers [11]
This identification was performed using the headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME)/gas chromatography combined with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technique, where the use of two extraction methods, developed in a previous study, were necessary in order to efficiently extract the majority of floral volatiles

Summary

Introduction

A wide variety of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are produced and emitted by plants, especially in organs such as flowers, leaves, fruits, and roots. The volatile compounds emitted by flowers generally have a low molecular weight and differ significantly according to the species studied. They play an important role in attracting pollinators, in defense against herbivores, in adaptation to environmental stress, and in communication between flowering plants [3,4]. Floral scent has a role in several eco-physiological processes, and enhances the aesthetic character of ornamental plants and is widely used in the perfume and fragrance industry, in the food industry, and in cosmetics [5]. The number of scientific studies carried out on floral scent has increased in recent years, motivated by the discovery of new notes useful in perfumery and by the deepening of knowledge in plant physiology [6]

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