Major Volatile Organic Compounds Research Articles

A non-invasive method for phenotyping scab-tolerant apple plants using volatile organic compounds.

One of the most devastating diseases of apples is scab, caused by the fungus Venturia inaequalis. Most commercial apple varieties are susceptible to this disease; only a few are resistant. Breeding approaches are being used to develop better apple varieties that are resistant to scab. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) contribute greatly to a plant's phenotype, and their emission profile largely depends on the genotype. In the non-destructive phenotyping of plants, VOCs can be used as biomarkers. In this study, we assessed non-destructively the scab tolerance potential of resistant (cv. 'Prima') and susceptible (cv. 'Oregon Spur') apple cultivars by comparing their major leaf VOC compositions and relative proportions. A comparison of the leaf VOC profiles of the two cultivars revealed 16 different VOCs, with cis-3-hexenyl acetate (3HA) emerging as a biomarker of cultivar differences. V. inaequalis growth was significantly inhibited in vitro by 3HA treatment. 3HA was significantly effective in reducing scab symptoms on V. inaequalis-inoculated leaves of 'Oregon Spur.' The resistant cultivar 'Prima' also exhibited higher lipoxygenase (LOX) activity and α-linolenic acid (ALA) levels, suggesting that V. inaequalis resistance is linked to LOX activity and 3HA biosynthesis. This study proposes 3HA as a potential biomarker for rapid non-destructive screening of scab-resistant apple germplasm of 'Prima' based on leaf VOCs.

Emission factors and source profiles of volatile organic compounds from the automobile manufacturing industry

Controlling volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from the automobile manufacturing industry requires establishing VOCs emission factors (EFs) and source profiles refinedly. In this study, 41 samples involved 32 VOCs discharge links were collected from three factories. The EFs and VOCs source profiles were estimated by the material balance method and weighted average method, respectively. The ozone formation potential (OFP) of the 110 VOCs species were calculated by the maximum incremental reactivity (MIR). According to estimations, the ranges of EFs were 0.23–1.66 kg VOCs/SUV car and 2.14–14.86 g VOCs/m2 painted area. EFs of six materials were firstly estimated, which are electrophoretic primer (152.31 ± 97.39 g VOCs/SUV car, 0.97 ± 0.38 g VOCs/m2 painted area), sealant (48.39 ± 26.20 g VOCs/SUV car, 0.46 ± 0.25 g VOCs/m2 painted area), floating coat (87.40 ± 75.63 g VOCs/SUV car, 0.86 ± 0.74 g VOCs/m2 painted area), colored paint (127.24 ± 168.24 g VOCs/SUV car, 1.25 ± 1.66 g VOCs/m2 painted area), varnish (205.46 ± 218.14 g VOCs/SUV car, 2.01 ± 2.15 g VOCs/m2 painted area), and cleaning solvent (328.54 ± 404.94 g VOCs/SUV car, 3.23 ± 3.98 g VOCs/m2 painted area). OVOCs (37.40–51.60 %) and aromatics (36.40–37.00 %) were the dominant components. n-Butyl acetate, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, undecane, n-hexanal, acetone, 1,2,3-trimethylbenzene, 1,3,5 -trimethylbenzene, m/p/o-xylene, 3-ethylbenzene, and 4-ethylbenzene were the major VOCs species, accounting for 68 % of total VOCs in the automobile manufacturing industry. Considering the OFP values of species, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene, 1,2,3-trimethylbenzene, m/p-xylene, acetaldehyde, methyl ethyl ketone are the key active species that should be prioritized for control.

Spatiotemporal variations, sources, and atmospheric transformation potential of volatile organic compounds in an industrial zone based on high-resolution measurements in three plants

Industrial emissions are significant sources of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This study conducted a field campaign at high temporal and spatial resolution to monitor VOCs within three plants in an industrial park in southern China. VOC concentrations showed significant spatial variability in this industrial zone, with median concentrations of 75.22, 40.53, and 29.41 μg/m3 for the total VOCs in the three plants, respectively, with oxygenated VOCs (OVOCs) or aromatics being the major VOCs. Spatial variability within each plant was also significant but VOC-dependent. Seasonal variations in the VOC levels were governed by their industrial emissions, meteorological conditions, and photochemical losses, and they were different for the four groups of VOCs. The temporal and spatial variations in the VOC compositions suggest similar sources of each class of VOCs during different periods of the year in each plant. The diurnal patterns of VOCs (unimodal or bimodal) clearly differed from those at most industrial/urban locations previously, reflecting a dependence on industrial activities. The secondary transformation potential of VOCs also varied temporally and spatially, and aromatics generally made the predominant contributions in this industrial park. The loss rate of OH radicals and ozone formation potential were highly correlated, but the linear relationship substantially changed in summer and autumn due to the intensive emissions of an OVOC species. The lifetime cancer and non-cancer risks via occupational inhalation of the VOCs in the plants were acceptable but merit attention. Taking the secondary transformation potential and health risks into consideration, styrene, xylene, toluene, trichloroethylene, and benzene were proposed to be the priority VOCs regulated in the plants.

Breath Markers of Oxidative Stress in Children with Severe Viral Lower Respiratory Tract Infection.

Severe viral lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI), resulting in both acute and long-term pulmonary disease, constitutes a substantial burden among young children. Viral LRTI triggers local oxidative stress pathways by infection and inflammation, and supportive care in the pediatric intensive care unit may further aggravate oxidative injury. The main goal of this exploratory study was to identify and monitor breath markers linked to oxidative stress in children over the disease course of severe viral LRTI. Exhaled breath was sampled during invasive ventilation, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were analyzed using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. VOCs were selected in an untargeted principal component analysis and assessed for change over time. In addition, identified VOCs were correlated with clinical parameters. Seventy breath samples from 21 patients were analyzed. A total of 15 VOCs were identified that contributed the most to the explained variance of breath markers. Of these 15 VOCs, 10 were previously linked to pathways of oxidative stress. Eight VOCs, including seven alkanes and methyl alkanes, significantly decreased from the initial phase of ventilation to the day of extubation. No correlation was observed with the administered oxygen dose, whereas six VOCs showed a poor to strong positive correlation with driving pressure. In this prospective study of children with severe viral LRTI, the majority of VOCs that were most important for the explained variance mirrored clinical improvement. These breath markers could potentially help monitor the pulmonary oxidative status in these patients, but further research with other objective measures of pulmonary injury is required.

The urinary metabolites of volatile organic compounds and asthma in young children: NHANES 2011–2018

The vast majority of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are of biological origin and do not affect human health, while some VOCs or their oxidation products can damage the respiratory system, nervous system, digestive system and blood system after long-term inhalation by humans. There is limited evidence regarding the association of VOCs exposure with childhood asthma. In this study, we examined the associations between metabolites of VOCs (mVOCs) in urine and childhood asthma. We included a total of 1542 children aged 3–12 years who had information on urinary mVOCs, asthma and essential covariates in the current analyses. After controlling for covariates, we used logistic regression to assess the association between urinary mVOCs and childhood asthma. Then, we examined effect measure modification by child age, gender, race/ethnicity and serum cotinine. 2-Methylhippuric acid (xylene metabolites) (OR: 1.14; 95 % CI: 0.87, 1.59), N-acetyl-S-(benzyl)-l-cysteine (toluene metabolites) (OR: 1.15 95 % CI: 0.76, 1.71), N-acetyl-S-(2-carboxyethyl)-l-cysteine (acrolein metabolites) (OR: 1.09; 95 % CI: 0.61, 1.75), N-acetyl-S-(3-hydroxypropyl)-l-cysteine (acrolein metabolites) (OR: 1.10; 95 % CI: 0.66, 1.80), and N-acetyl-S-(3-hydroxypropyl-1-methyl)-l-cysteine (crotonaldehyde metabolites) (OR: 1.18; 95 % CI: 0.68, 2.01) were weakly associated with the prevalence of asthma in children. Among female children, 2MHA (2-methylhippuric acid) in urine was significantly associated with the prevalence of asthma (OR: 1.81 95 % CI: 1.07, 3.05). At the same time, BMA (N-acetyl-S-(benzyl)-l-cysteine) was significantly associated with the prevalence of asthma in non-Hispanic White (OR:2.09 95 % CI: 0.91, 4.66) and Black (OR:1.90 95 % CI: 0.96, 3.71) children. We found that gender modified the associations between urinary 2MHA and the odds of asthma (interaction term p value = 0.03). Therefore, exposure to VOCs and the development of childhood asthma remains controversial, and the interpretation of these results needs to be treated with caution and should be confirmed in future studies.Therefore, exposure to VOCs and the development of childhood asthma remains controversial, and the interpretation of these results needs to be treated with caution and should be confirmed in future studies.

Metabolic modulation of Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.): an insight into growth, metabolomics and antioxidant activity under varying temperature and light conditions

BackgroundTemperature and light are two critical environmental stimuli that greatly impact our agricultural industry. We explored the effects of varying temperature and light conditions on the metabolomics of basil, a plant widely used in cuisine and for medicinal purposes worldwide. Basil plants were subjected to elevated temperatures of 30 °C, 35 °C, and 40 °C, along with two light intensities (D11 and D23).ResultsOur results showed that the maximum shoot length (42.98 cm) was achieved at T30 and D23, the maximum leaf area (6.92 cm) at T30/D11, and the highest number of leaves (472) at T40/D11. However, at the higher temperature of T40, the number of leaves increased, but shoot length and leaf size significantly decreased (p < 0.05). Maxim shoot biomass (81 gm) and root biomass (91.2 gm) was recorded at T35/D23 treatments. Metabolomic studies of basil revealed that rosmarinic acid (RA), and linalool and eugenol were the major phenolic and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) under different growth conditions. RA levels were higher at 30 °C, correlated with elevated shikimate levels, indicating a carbon supply through the TCA cycle. In contrast, the growth conditions of 35 °C/D11 (μmol/m2/d) up-regulated the glyoxylate cycle (fumaric acid and malic acid) as part of stomatal closure, preventing ROS accumulation and resulting in increased VOC emission. Exposure to the higher temperature of 40 °C induced higher amino acid accumulation, improving temperature stresstolerance.ConclusionsThis study suggests that elevated temperature and light intensity affected the overall health of basil plants by modulating underlying growth mechanisms. Furthermore, elevated temperature plays a vital role in plant defense mechanisms by mediating the production of secondary metabolites associated with plant defense responses.Graphical

Potential of Solid Gel Formulation of Kaffir Lime Peel Extract Against Postharvest Pest Sitophilus Zeamais on Stored Rice

Maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais (Motschulsky) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is a primary pest on maize, rice, wheat, sorghum, and other cereal grains. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of using kaffir lime peel extract in solid gel formulation as a plant-based insecticide. This study used five treatments, untreated (control), 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, and 2%. The results of this study are the treatments tested had effects on adult mortality and repellency. The 2% concentration showed the highest adult mortality and repellency. The major volatile organic compounds contained in kaffir lime peel were α-fernesene, α-sinensal, D-citronellol, and citronellal.

GC-IMS and GC/Q-TOFMS analysis of Maotai-flavor baijiu at different aging times

There's a Chinese saying that the older the baijiu, the better it is. This study is an exploration of why baijiu are getting better during storaging. The aging mechanism of baijiu is still in the exploratory stage; therefore, this study used gas chromatography-ion mobility spectroscopy (GC-IMS) coupled with chemometrics and gas chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC/Q-TOF MS) to analyze the volatile components of Maotai-flavor baijiu (MFB) at different aging times. Moreover, GC/Q-TOF MS was combined with a machine learning model to analyze the volatile components of MFB with different aging times to gain a deeper understanding of its aging mechanism. Nine major basal volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and 14 differential VOCs of MFB during the aging process were obtained using GC-IMS combined with visual mapping and differential analyses, and data refinement was performed using the GC/Q-TOF MS assay. With aging time, the total esters, except long-chain esters, decreased, and the total acid content increased. Based on these results, 21 characteristics were identified by combining random forest, support vector machine, and logistic regression models. These models were used to discriminate MFB with different aging times, which demonstrated the successful combination of multivariate analysis using multiple detection methods.

Reducing southern California ozone concentrations in the year 2050 under a low carbon energy scenario

Recent studies predict that ozone (O3) concentrations within major California cities in the year 2050 will continue to violate the 8-h O3 standard despite the adoption of low-carbon energy. This O3 penalty largely stems from persistent NOx-rich chemistry within urban cores that causes O3 concentrations to increase when traditional combustion sources are replaced by renewable energy sources. Here we employ a Chemical Transport Model (CTM) equipped with a novel O3 source apportionment technique to better understand O3 formation and to design supplemental control measures to complement Greenhouse Gases (GHG) reduction strategies in California. Two base scenarios were analyzed: (i) a 2050 “business-as-usual” (BAU) scenario with O3 violations on 43% of simulated days, and (ii) a 2050 Greenhouse Gases reduction (GHGAi) scenario with O3 violations on 32% of simulated days. The source apportionment results of the GHGAi scenario identified offroad equipment & rail, marine vessels & aircraft, and industrial & agricultural emissions as the major NOx sources that contributed to the O3 violations, while boundary conditions & initial conditions (BCIC) and biogenic emissions were identified as the major volatile organic compounds (VOCs) sources. Despite a HCHO/NO2 ratio (FNR) suggesting that the SoCAB is in a VOC-limited chemical regime, the major VOC sources that contribute to O3 formation are not controllable. Therefore, complementary O3 control strategies are proposed that focus on NOx emissions within the GHGAi scenario. Three cumulative Supplemental Control Steps were evaluated. Control Step I reduced emissions from off-road equipment & rail, and marine vessels & aircraft (65% NOx emissions reduction relative to GHGAi). Control Step II expanded the measures in Control Step I by reducing emissions from industrial and agricultural sources (cumulative 73.6% NOx emissions reduction relative to GHGAi), while Control Step III extended the amount of control applied to all sources covered in Control Steps I and II (cumulative 85.4% NOx emissions reduction relative to GHGAi). All three Control Steps lowered O3 concentrations significantly in the SoCAB, with residual O3 violations mainly predicted in non-populated wilderness areas. The significant reductions in O3 produced by the Supplemental Control Steps decreased the predicted incidence of hay fever/rhinitis, asthma, and all-cause mortality by an order of magnitude compared to the transformation from the BAU to GHGAi scenario. The predicted public health savings associated with the Supplemental Control Steps are valued at $19.70–30.36B/yr.

Pollution characteristics and secondary formation potential of volatile organic compounds in the multi-industrial city of Ulsan, Korea

The secondary formation of ozone and aerosols due to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) has drawn increased attention in Ulsan, a multi-industrial city in South Korea. In this study, 52 VOCs were measured at 40 sites in four industrial (petrochemical, nonferrous, automobile, and shipbuilding) complexes and five urban sites using passive air samplers. The concentration of aromatics (44.6 μg/m3) accounted for 70.3% of the total VOC concentration (63.4 μg/m3), which was significantly higher than those of alkanes (27.5% and 17.4 μg/m3) and alkenes (2.15% and 1.37 μg/m3). The highest concentrations of total VOCs and aromatics were observed at the shipbuilding industrial complex, whereas the concentration of alkanes and alkenes was the highest in the petrochemical industrial complex. The positive matrix factorization (PMF) model suggested five major VOC sources in urban areas: (1) petrochemical production processes, (2) fuel combustion and evaporation, (3) urban emissions sources, (4) solvent use, and (5) painting and metal surface coating. The PMF result indicated that the distances from the four industrial complexes substantially affected VOC pollution in the urban areas. Moreover, aromatics (e.g., m,p-xylenes, toluene, ethylbenzene, o-xylene, and 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene) exhibited higher ozone formation potential (OFP) and secondary organic aerosol formation potential (SOAFP), which were mainly emitted from solvent use and painting in the shipbuilding and automobile industrial complexes. The petrochemical industrial complex close to densely populated urban areas also contributed significantly to secondary formation potential. In conclusion, our study revealed that elevated levels of aromatics were associated with increased OFP and SOAFP. Additionally, the four industrial complexes exhibited varying impacts on pollution characteristics in urban areas. These findings have practical implications, as they can inform the development of industry-specific management strategies for mitigating VOC pollution and secondary formation in multi-industrial cities.

Odorous organic gas emission characteristics from cooked food wastes during aerobic decomposition

Emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from food waste is a key trouble for surrounding residents. Herein, the VOC emission patterns from headspace (gaseous) and produced leachate (aqueous) during decomposition of cooked milk cabbage, tilapia fish, and their mixture (Mix) were investigated in self-made reactors. The average amount of gaseous VOCs from fish (2888.7 mg/kg dry matter (DM)) was higher than Mix (2152.9 mg/kg DM) and cabbage (374.2 mg/kg DM). The dominant VOCs were volatile organic sulfur compounds (VOSCs) and oxygenated VOCs, accounting for 65.8 and 32.5 %, 71.8 and 25.2 %, 39.0 and 36.7 % of total VOC yields in fish, Mix, and cabbage, respectively. From leachate, average leaching fluxes of VOCs followed the order of: Mix (2487.9 μg/(L kg) DM) > fish (2374.7 μg/(L kg) DM) > cabbage (368.7 μg/(L kg) DM). VOSCs were also the major VOCs from leachate, accounting for 87.9, 98.6, and 98.5 % of total VOCs in leachate, respectively. Lactobacillus and Weissella were the dominant genera in cabbage, while Bacteroides were dominant in fish and Mix. Physicochemical factors were significantly related to bacterial composition shifts over time. Furthermore, Lysinibacillus and Vibro were positively correlated with gaseous dimethyl disulfide, while Lactobacillus, Weissella, Savagea, Ignatzschineria, Acinetobacter, and Pseudomonas showed strong relationship with dominant gaseous and aqueous VOCs. These findings provide significant references for understanding distribution and controlling of VOCs released during cooked food waste fermentation.

Quality and bioactive compound accumulation in two holy basil cultivars as affected by microwave-assisted hot air drying at an industrial scale

Holy basil (Ocimum Tenuiflorum L.) contains several bioactive compounds useful to the pharmaceutical and food industries. Microwave drying (MD) is a powerful technique for rapid drying of food or plant materials while preserving bioactive compounds during the process. However, little is known about the optimal combination of MD power with hot air drying (HAD) that can preserve the quality and yet only consume reasonable energy when drying holy basils. For that purpose, the effects of drying methods using MD combined with HAD at 45°C were examined to prevent losses in quality, antioxidant activities, and volatile flavor compounds in two holy basil cultivars (green and red cultivars). Holy basil leaves were dried at different MD powers of 200, 400, and 600 W combined with HAD and compared with a traditional tray drying (TD) at 45°C. Drying using MD at 600 W with HAD displayed significantly high levels of color retention, chlorophyll, and carotenoid content in both cultivars. The green cultivar showed a greater accumulation of total phenolic compounds (TPC), terpenoids, and DPPH free radical scavenging at 400 W with HAD. However, the red cultivar had the highest TPC, flavonoid, and terpenoid content at 600 W with HAD. The accumulation of major volatile organic compounds (VOCs) was also affected, and treatment at 600 W exhibited the highest methyl eugenol and β-caryophyllene content in both cultivars. The use of the highest power of MD (600 W) with HAD for leaf drying reduced the effective drying time and energy consumption among both cultivars. Taking into consideration the dried quality of antioxidant accumulation and energy consumed for drying, we recommend using MD at 400 or 600 W with HAD for the green cultivar and 600 W for the red.

Combining with volatilomic profiling and chemometrics to explore the volatile characteristics in five different dried Zanthoxylum bungeanum maxim

Owing to the short picking period of the fresh Zanthoxylum bungeanum, the postharvest drying has become an essential operation before the storage and transportation of Z. bungeanum. To explore the effects of drying methods on volatile characteristics, the volatilomic profiling of five different dried Z. bungeanum was investigated by E-nose, HS-SPME-GC/MS, GC-IMS in combination with chemometrics. The results indicated that W1W, W2W and W5S sensors within E-nose analysis showed the strongest responses in both fresh and dried Z. bungeanum. According to the identification of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), terpenes, esters and alcohols played the major roles in the volatile formation of the fresh and dried Z. bungeanum. The samples derived from hot air drying showed the relatively similar features with the fresh sample based on the relative abundances of these major VOCs. According to the results of multiple factor analysis (MFA), GC-IMS showed the strongest ability in distinguishing the fresh and different dried samples. Compared with the high levels of terpenes in fresh group, the significant increasement of terpene alcohols and terpene esters from the degradation and transformation of bound terpenoids was the main characteristics of all dried Z. bungeanum. Using the GC-IMS datasets, a weighted correlation network analysis (WCNA) model was constructed to clarify the VOC characteristics in all detetected samples. Thereinto, 6 significantly correlated modules were identified in fresh and five different dried samples. Additionally, a total of 23 hub VOCs can be recognized as the potential biomarkers for better distinguishing the fresh and five different dried Z. bungeanum.

Multistep Approach Points to Compounds Responsible for the Biological Activity and Safety of Hydrolates from Nine Lamiaceae Medicinal Plants on Human Skin Fibroblasts.

As byproducts of essential oil distillation, hydrolates are used in natural cosmetics/biomedicine due to their beneficial skin effects. However, data on their safety with relevant biological targets, such as human skin cells, are scarce. Therefore, we have tested nine hydrolates from the Lamiaceae family with skin fibroblasts that are responsible for extracellular collagenous matrix builds. Thyme, oregano, and winter savoury hydrolates showed several times higher total phenolics, which correlated strongly with their radical scavenging and antioxidative capacity; there was no correlation between their viability profiles and the reducing sugar levels. No proteins/peptides were detected. All hydrolates appeared safe for prolonged skin exposure except for 10-fold diluted lavender, which showed cytotoxicity (~20%), as well as rosemary and lavandin (~10%) using viability, DNA synthesis, and cell count testing. Clary sage, oregano, lemon balm, and thyme hydrolates (10-fold diluted) increased fibroblast viability and/or proliferation by 10-30% compared with the control, while their viability remained unaffected by Mentha and winter savoury. In line with the STITCH database, increased viability could be attributed to thymol presence in oregano and thyme hydrolates in lemon balm, which is most likely attributable to neral and geranial. The proliferative effect of clary sage could be supported by alpha-terpineol, not linalool. The major volatile organic compounds (VOCs) associated with cytotoxic effects on fibroblasts were borneol, 1,8-cineole, and terpinene-4-ol. Further research with pure compounds is warranted to confirm the roles of VOCs in the observed effects that are relevant to cosmetic and wound healing aspects.

Microbial metabolism and health risk assessment of kitchen waste odor VOCs.

Kitchen waste (KW) generates odors comprising complex volatile organic compounds (VOCs). We used gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to analyze VOCs, and 16S gene sequencing was used to analyze the microbial community composition and microbial metabolic mechanism. The results showed that the major odor-causing VOCs were hydrogen sulfide, methanethiol, methyl sulfide, dimethyl disulfide, and ethyl acetate. As the temperature increased, the VOCs and microbial community composition became more complex, and the microbial community related to VOC production included Leuconostoc, Pediococcus, Acetobacter, and Weissella. Based on PICRUSt2 analysis, the possibility of typical VOC interconversion by microbial metabolism was low. It was more likely that precursor substances were catalyzed by enzymes to generate the corresponding VOCs. Attention should be given to trichloromethane and 1,2-dichloroethane, which may cause adverse health effects through long-term inhalation. The study results provide guidance for controlling VOCs from KW.

Multi-omics analysis reveals hepatic lipid metabolism profiles and serum lipid biomarkers upon indoor relevant VOC exposure

As a widespread indoor air pollutant, volatile organic compound (VOC) caused various adverse health effects, especial the damage to liver, which has become a growing public concern. However, the current toxic data are intrinsically restricted in the single or major VOC species. Limited knowledge is available regarding toxic effects, biomarkers and underlying mechanisms of real indoor VOC-caused liver damage. Herein, an indoor relevant VOC exposure model was established to evaluate the hepatic adverse outcomes. Machine learning and multi-omics approaches, including liver lipidomic, serum lipidomic and liver transcriptomic, were utilized to uncover the characteristics of liver damage, serum lipid biomarkers, and involved mechanism stimulated by VOC exposure. The result showed that indoor relevant VOC led to the abnormal hepatic lipid metabolism, mainly manifested as a decrease in triacylglycerol (TG) and its precursor substance diacylglycerol (DG), which could be contributed to the occurrence of hepatic adverse outcomes. In terms of serum lipid biomarkers, five lipid biomarkers in serum were uncovered using machine learning to reflect the hepatic lipid disorders induced by VOC. Multi-omics approaches revealed that the upregulated Dgkq disturbed the interconversion of DG and phosphatidic acid (PA), leading to a TG downregulation. The in-depth analysis revealed that VOC down-regulated FoxO transcription factor, contributing to the upregulation of Dgkq. Hence, this study can provide valuable insights into the understanding of liver damage caused by indoor relevant VOC exposure model VOC exposure, from the perspective of multi-omics analysis.

Toxicity of fungal-derived volatile organic compounds against root-knot nematodes.

Root-knot nematodes (RKNs), including Meloidogyne species, are among the most destructive plant-parasites worldwide. Recent evidence suggests that entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) can antagonize RKNs. Such antagonistic effects are likely mediated by toxic metabolites, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs), produced by the fungi. However, how widespread these effects are across EPF species, and which VOCs mediate negative interactions between EPF and RKNs needs to be further elucidated. First, we evaluated the nematicidal effect of VOCs emitted by 46 EPF isolates against Meloidogyne incognita and found variable toxicity depending on the isolate. Second, we measured the nematicidal effect of highly toxic isolates, including species in the genus Talaromyces, Aspergillus, Clonostachys, and Purpureocillium and, third, we analyzed the nematicidal effect of major VOCs, including 2-methyl-1-propanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol, isopropyl alcohol and 2-methyl-3-pentanone. The mortality of M. incognita juveniles (J2s) was generally high (50%) either via airborne or in-solution contact with VOCs. Moreover, the tested VOCs significantly inhibited egg hatching, and repelled J2s away from the VOCs. This study not only provides insights into the ecological function of VOCs in the rhizosphere, but also provides new approaches for developing environmentally friendly control methods of RKNs in agroecosystems. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Aromatic Fingerprints: VOC Analysis with E-Nose and GC-MS for Rapid Detection of Adulteration in Sesame Oil.

Food quality assurance is an important field that directly affects public health. The organoleptic aroma of food is of crucial significance to evaluate and confirm food quality and origin. The volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions (detectable aroma) from foods are unique and provide a basis to predict and evaluate food quality. Soybean and corn oils were added to sesame oil (to simulate adulteration) at four different mixture percentages (25-100%) and then chemically analyzed using an experimental 9-sensor metal oxide semiconducting (MOS) electronic nose (e-nose) and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) for comparisons in detecting unadulterated sesame oil controls. GC-MS analysis revealed eleven major VOC components identified within 82-91% of oil samples. Principle component analysis (PCA) and linear detection analysis (LDA) were employed to visualize different levels of adulteration detected by the e-nose. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) and support vector machines (SVMs) were also used for statistical modeling. The sensitivity and specificity obtained for SVM were 0.987 and 0.977, respectively, while these values for the ANN method were 0.949 and 0.953, respectively. E-nose-based technology is a quick and effective method for the detection of sesame oil adulteration due to its simplicity (ease of application), rapid analysis, and accuracy. GC-MS data provided corroborative chemical evidence to show differences in volatile emissions from virgin and adulterated sesame oil samples and the precise VOCs explaining differences in e-nose signature patterns derived from each sample type.

Policy-Related Gains in Urban Air Quality May Be Offset by Increased Emissions in a Warming Climate.

Air quality policies have made substantial gains by reducing pollutant emissions from the transportation sector. In March 2020, New York City's activities were severely curtailed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in 60-90% reductions in human activity. We continuously measured major volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during January-April 2020 and 2021 in Manhattan. Concentrations of many VOCs decreased significantly during the shutdown with variations in daily patterns reflective of human activity perturbations, resulting in a temporary ∼28% reduction in chemical reactivity. However, the limited effect of these dramatic measures was outweighed by larger increases in VOC-related reactivity during the anomalously warm spring 2021. This emphasizes the diminishing returns from transportation-focused policies alone and the risk of increased temperature-dependent emissions undermining policy-related gains in a warming climate.

Spectral Light Treatment Influenced Morpho-Physiological Properties and Carvacrol Accumulation in Indian Borage.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00344-023-11028-6.