Terpenoic Acids Research Articles

Ultrahigh-Performance Supercritical Fluid Chromatography-Multimodal Ionization-Tandem Mass Spectrometry as a Universal Tool for the Analysis of Small Molecules in Complex Plant Extracts.

Complex analysis of plant extracts usually requires a combination of several analytical approaches. Therefore, in this study, we developed a holistic two-injection approach for plant extract analysis, which is carried out within one instrument without the need for any manual intervention during the analysis. Ultrahigh-performance supercritical fluid chromatography (UHPSFC) was employed for the analysis of 17 volatile terpenes on a porous graphitic carbon column within 7.5 min, followed by analysis on short diol column where flavonoids, phenolic acids, and terpenoic acids were analyzed within 15.5 min. A multimodal ionization source combining electrospray and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (ESCi) was selected for mass spectrometry detection as a simultaneous ionization of both lipophilic and polar compounds was required. The quantitative aspects of the final UHPSFC-ESI/ESCi-MS/MS two-injection approach were determined, and it was applied to the analysis of Eucalyptus sp. extracts prepared by supercritical fluid extraction. Current methods reported in the literature typically require a labor-intensive combination of liquid and gas chromatography for the complex analysis of plant extracts. We present for the first time a new UHPSFC approach requiring only a single instrument that provides an alternative approach to the analysis of complex plant extracts.

Temperature-dependent aqueous OH kinetics of C2–C10 linear and terpenoid alcohols and diols: new rate coefficients, structure–activity relationship, and atmospheric lifetimes

Abstract. Aliphatic alcohols (AAs), including terpenoic alcohols (TAs), are ubiquitous in the atmosphere due to their widespread emissions from natural and anthropogenic sources. Hydroxyl radical (OH) is the most important atmospheric oxidant in both aqueous and gas phases. Consequently, the aqueous oxidation of the TAs by the OH inside clouds and fogs is a potential source of aqueous secondary organic aerosols (aqSOAs). However, the kinetic data, necessary for estimating the timescales of such reactions, remain limited. Here, bimolecular rate coefficients (kOHaq) for the aqueous oxidation of 29 C2–C10 AAs by hydroxyl radicals (OH) were measured with the relative rate technique in the temperature range 278–328 K. The values of kOHaq for the 15 AAs studied in this work were measured for the first time after validating the experimental approach. The kOHaq values measured for the C2–C10 AAs at 298 K ranged from 1.80 × 109 to 6.5 × 109 M−1 s−1. The values of activation parameters, activation energy (7–17 kJ mol−1), and average Gibbs free energy of activation (18 ± 2 kJ mol−1) strongly indicated the predominance of the H-atom abstraction mechanism. The estimated rates of the complete diffusion-limited reactions revealed up to 44 % diffusion contribution for the C8–C10 AAs. The data acquired in this work and the values of kOHaq for AAs, carboxylic acids, and carboxylate ions available in the literature were used to develop a modified structure–activity relationship (SAR). The SAR optimized in this work estimated the temperature-dependent kOHaq for all compounds under investigation with much higher accuracy compared to the previous models. In the new model, an additional neighboring parameter was introduced (F≥ (CH2)6), using the kOHaq values for the homolog (C2–C10) linear alcohols and diols. A good overall accuracy of the new SAR at 298 K (slope = 1.022, R2=0.855) was obtained for the AAs and carboxylic acids under investigation. The kinetic database (kOHaq values in this work and compiled literature data) was also used to further enhance the ability of SAR to predict temperature-dependent values of kOHaq in the temperature range 278–328 K. The calculated atmospheric lifetimes indicate that terpenoic alcohols and diols can react with the OH in aerosol, cloud, and fog water with liquid water content (LWC) ≥0.1 g m−3 and LWC ≥ 10−4 g m−3, respectively. The preference of terpenoic diols to undergo aqueous oxidation by the OH under realistic atmospheric conditions is comparable with terpenoic acids, making them potentially effective precursors of aqSOAs. In clouds, a decrease in the temperature will strongly promote the aqueous reaction with the OH, primarily due to the increased partitioning of WSOCs into the aqueous phase.

Aging of α-Pinene Secondary Organic Aerosol by Hydroxyl Radicals in the Aqueous Phase: Kinetics and Products.

The reaction of hydroxyl radicals (OH) with a water-soluble fraction of the α-pinene secondary organic aerosol (SOA) was investigated using liquid chromatography coupled with negative electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The SOA was generated by the dark ozonolysis of α-pinene, extracted into the water, and subjected to chemical aging by the OH. Bimolecular reaction rate coefficients (kOH) for the oxidation of terpenoic acids by the OH were measured using the relative rate method. The unaged SOA was dominated by the cyclobutyl-ring-retaining compounds, primarily cis-pinonic, cis-pinic, and hydroxy-pinonic acids. Aqueous oxidation by the OH resulted in the removal of early-stage products and dimers, including well-known oligomers with MW = 358 and 368 Da. Furthermore, a 2- to 5-fold increase in the concentration of cyclobutyl-ring-opening products was observed, including terpenylic and diaterpenylic acids and diaterpenylic acid acetate as well as some of the newly identified OH aging markers. At the same time, results obtained from the kinetic box model showed a high degree of SOA fragmentation following the reaction with the OH, which indicates that non-radical reactions occurring during the evaporation of water likely contribute to the high yields of terpenoic aqSOAs reported previously. The estimated atmospheric lifetimes showed that in clouds, terpenoic acids react with the OH exclusively in the aqueous phase. Aqueous OH aging of the α-pinene SOA results in a 10% increase of the average O/C ratio and a 3-fold decrease in the average kOH value, which is likely to affect the cloud condensation nuclei activity of the aqSOA formed after the evaporation of water.

Synthesis of Carboxylic Acid and Dimer Ester Surrogates to Constrain the Abundance and Distribution of Molecular Products in α-Pinene and β-Pinene Secondary Organic Aerosol.

Liquid chromatography/negative electrospray ionization mass spectrometry [LC/(-)ESI-MS] is routinely employed to characterize the identity and abundance of molecular products in secondary organic aerosol (SOA) derived from monoterpene oxidation. Due to a lack of authentic standards, however, commercial terpenoic acids (e.g., cis-pinonic acid) are typically used as surrogates to quantify both monomeric and dimeric SOA constituents. Here, we synthesize a series of enantiopure, pinene-derived carboxylic acid and dimer ester homologues. We find that the (-)ESI efficiencies of the dimer esters are 19-36 times higher than that of cis-pinonic acid, demonstrating that the mass contribution of dimers to monoterpene SOA has been significantly overestimated in past studies. Using the measured (-)ESI efficiencies of the carboxylic acids and dimer esters as more representative surrogates, we determine that molecular products measureable by LC/(-)ESI-MS account for only 21.8 ± 2.6% and 18.9 ± 3.2% of the mass of SOA formed from ozonolysis of α-pinene and β-pinene, respectively. The 28-36 identified monomers (C7-10H10-18O3-6) constitute 15.6-20.5% of total SOA mass, whereas only 1.3-3.3% of the SOA mass is attributable to the 46-62 identified dimers (C15-19H24-32O4-11). The distribution of identified α-pinene and β-pinene SOA molecular products is examined as a function of carbon number (nC), average carbon oxidation state , and volatility (C*). The observed order-of-magnitude difference in (-)ESI efficiency between monomers and dimers is expected to be broadly applicable to other biogenic and anthropogenic SOA systems analyzed via (-) or (+) LC/ESI-MS under various LC conditions, and demonstrates that the use of unrepresentative surrogates can lead to substantial systematic errors in quantitative LC/ESI-MS analyses of SOA.

Tracing the biogenic secondary organic aerosol markers in rain, snow and hail

The molecular characterization of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) is based mainly on LC-MS analyses of particulate matter (PM) samples collected with aerosol samplers. Several studies have analyzed atmospheric waters, including rain and cloud water, for the presence of SOA components, however, no separation techniques were used making identification of the individual components in these complex mixtures impossible. We have applied our improved UHPLC-HR-MS methodology to analyze atmospheric precipitates (hailstone, rain and snow), as well as SOA collected with high-volume samplers. We achieved sensitivity levels and separation efficiencies that were sufficient for molecular-level identification of individual compounds. Tracing commonly known SOA markers such as organosulfates (OS), C4–C6 dicarboxylic acids and terpenoic acids revealed that the chromatographic profiles for both atmospheric precipitate and PM samples were very similar, with both giving similar component ratios, especially for OS. We also demonstrated that SOA markers can be detected directly from raw rain samples. Our results show that LC-MS techniques are suitable for the convenient analysis of atmospheric precipitates containing SOA markers at the molecular level. It complements traditional SOA analyses and provides additional sampling opportunities which will no doubt allow for better elucidation of chemical transformations of volatile organic compounds in the atmosphere.

Ozonolysis of β-Caryophyllonic and Limononic Acids in the Aqueous Phase: Kinetics, Product Yield, and Mechanism.

Ozonolysis of β-caryophyllonic (BCA) and limononic (LA) acids in the aqueous-phase was investigated. The rate coefficients (kozone) measured for the BCA + ozone (O3) reaction at 295 ± 2 K were 4.8 ± 0.6 × 105 M-1 s-1 at pH = 2 and 6.0 ± 0.3 × 105 M-1 s-1 at pH = 8. The UV-vis absorption cross sections (σ, cm2 molecule-1) for BCA and LA in water were also measured. Atmospheric lifetimes of BCA and LA due to reactions with O3, hydroxyl radicals (OH), and due to photolysis were calculated. Lifetime estimates indicate that the aqueous-phase processing of both terpenoic acids studied in this work would be relevant in the atmosphere. In cloudwater, BCA is more likely to react with O3 with some possible contribution from the oxidation by OH, whereas the opposite is true for LA. Products of BCA and LA ozonolysis were quantified with LC-MS as well as with the UV-vis assays for quantification of formaldehyde and hydroperoxides. Oxygenated derivatives of BCA and LA that were produced following aqueous ozonolysis were identified as keto-BCA and keto-LA, respectively. Additionally, large quantities of intramolecular secondary ozonides and α-acyloxyhydroperoxy aldehydes were tentatively identified as products of aqueous ozonolysis of the two unsaturated terpenoic acids investigated.

Characterization of organic nitrogen in aerosols at a forest site in the southern Appalachian Mountains.

This study investigates the composition of organic particulate matter in PM2.5 in a remote montane forest in the southeastern US, focusing on the role of organic nitrogen (N) in sulfur-containing secondary organic aerosol (nitrooxy-organosulfates) and aerosols associated with biomass burning (nitro-aromatics). Bulk water-soluble organic N (WSON) represented ~ 14% w/w of water-soluble total N (WSTN) in PM2.5 on average across seasonal measurement campaigns conducted in the spring, summer, and fall of 2015. The largest contributions of WSON to WSTN were observed in spring (~ 18% w/w) and the lowest in the fall (~ 10% w/w). On average, identified nitro-aromatic and nitrooxy-organosulfate compounds accounted for a small fraction of WSON, ranging from ~ 1% in spring to ~ 4% in fall, though were observed to contribute as much as 28% w/w of WSON in individual samples that were impacted by local biomass burning. The highest concentrations of oxidized organic N species occurred during summer (average of 0.65 ng N m−3) along with a greater relative abundance of higher-generation oxygenated terpenoic acids, indicating an association with more aged aerosol. The highest concentrations of nitro-aromatics (e.g., nitrocatechol and methyl-nitrocatechol), levoglucosan, and aged SOA tracers were observed during fall, associated with aged biomass burning plumes. Nighttime nitrate radical chemistry is the most likely formation pathway for nitrooxy-organosulfates observed at this low NOx site (generally < 1 ppb). Isoprene-derived organosulfate (MW216, 2-methyltetrol derived), which is formed from isoprene epoxydiols (IEPOX) under low NOx conditions, was the most abundant individual organosulfate. Concentration-weighted average WSON / WSOC ratios for nitro-aromatics + organosulfates + terpenoic acids were 1 order of magnitude lower than the overall aerosol WSON / WSOC ratio, indicating the presence of other uncharacterized higher-N-content species. Although nitrooxy-organosulfates and nitro-aromatics contributed a small fraction of WSON, our results provide new insight into the atmospheric formation processes and sources of these largely uncharacterized components of atmospheric organic N, which also helps to advance the atmospheric models to better understand the chemistry and deposition of reactive N.

Effect of thermal maturation on plant-derived terpenoids and leaf wax n-alkyl components

Plant biomarkers, such as terpenoids and leaf wax components (n-alkanes, n-alkanoic acids and n-alkanols), are frequently found in sediments and can be used, often in association with stable carbon (and hydrogen) isotope measurements, as paleovegetation and paleoclimate proxies. However, few controlled studies have monitored plant biomarker alteration to determine if certain plant biomarkers are preferentially lost relative to more recalcitrant forms. To investigate the role of selective alteration and degradation of plant biomarkers, hydrous pyrolysis was used to artificially mature leaves from four plant species, including the deciduous angiosperms Acer rubrum and Platanus occidentalis, the deciduous conifer Taxodium distichum and the evergreen conifer Pinus sylvestris. Leaves were artificially matured at temperatures ranging from 150 to 330°C for 72h to simulate maturation. With increasing temperature, functionalized di- and triterpenoid yields decreased, with a greater loss of triterpenoids at lower temperature. Both diterpene and triterpene yield increased during maturation up to 310–320°C. A greater amount of diterpenes and triterpenes was generated for P. sylvestris and A. rubrum, respectively, and might be related to differences in terpenoid starting composition. Terpenols were preferentially converted to terpenes over terpenoic acids. Taken together, hydrous pyrolysis of plant biomarkers indicates that paleovegetation reconstruction from terpenoids can be informative, but may only be a qualitative vegetation proxy under many conditions. The n-alkane yield largely increased up to 320°C, whereas the n-alkanol yield mainly decreased with increased maturity. The n-alkanoic acids initially increased, but then decreased. The stable carbon isotopic composition (δ13C) of the n-alkanes was generally, though not universally, constant up to 200°C. Above this, the δ13C values of individual chain length hydrocarbons, for some species, changed by ca. 2‰. This suggests that n-alkane δ13C values should be unaltered in immature rocks, but can vary in the catagenic stage of maturation (oil window).

Acidic reaction products of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes in atmospheric fine particles in a boreal forest

Abstract. Biogenic acids were measured in aerosols at the SMEAR II (Station for Measuring Forest Ecosystem-Atmosphere Relations II) station in Finland from June 2010 until October 2011. The analysed organic acids were pinic, pinonic, caric, limonic and caryophyllinic acids from oxidation of α-pinene, β-pinene, limonene, Δ3-carene and β-caryophyllene, respectively. Due to a lack of authentic standards, the caric, limonic and caryophyllinic acids were synthesised for this study. The mean, median, maximum and minimum concentrations (ng m−3) were as follows: limonic acid (1.26, 0.80, 16.5, below detection limit (&lt; LOD)), pinic acid (5.53, 3.25, 31.4, 0.15), pinonic acid (9.87, 5.07, 80.1, &lt; LOD), caric acid (5.52, 3.58, 49.8, &lt; LOD), and caryophyllinic acid (7.87, 6.07, 86.1, &lt; LOD). The highest terpenoic acid concentrations were measured during the summer. Of the acids, β-caryophyllinic acid showed the highest concentrations in summer, but during other times of the year pinonic acid was the most abundant. The β-caryophyllinic acid contribution was higher than expected, based on the emission calculations of the precursor compounds and yields from oxidation experiments in smog chambers, implying that the β-caryophyllene emissions or β-caryophyllinic acid yields were underestimated. The concentration ratios between terpenoic acids and their precursors were clearly lower in summer than in winter, indicating stronger partitioning to the aerosol phase during the cold winter season. The β-caryophyllinic and caric acids were weakly correlated with the accumulation-mode particle number concentrations.

Semicontinuous measurements of gas–particle partitioning of organic acids in a ponderosa pine forest using a MOVI-HRToF-CIMS

Abstract. Hundreds of gas- and particle-phase organic acids were measured in a rural ponderosa pine forest in Colorado, USA, during BEACHON-RoMBAS (Bio-hydro-atmosphere interactions of Energy, Aerosols, Carbon, H2O, Organics &amp;amp; Nitrogen – Rocky Mountain Biogenic Aerosol Study). A recently developed micro-orifice volatilization impactor high-resolution time-of-flight chemical ionization mass spectrometer (MOVI-HRToF-CIMS) using acetate (CH3C(O)O−) as the reagent ion was used to selectively ionize and detect acids semicontinuously from 20 to 30 August 2011, with a measurement time resolution of ~1.5 h. At this site 98% of the organic acid mass is estimated to be in the gas phase, with only ~2% in the particle phase. We investigated gas–particle partitioning, quantified as the fraction in the particle phase (Fp), of C1–C18 alkanoic acids, six known terpenoic acids, and bulk organic acids vs. carbon number. Data were compared to the absorptive partitioning model and suggest that bulk organic acids at this site follow absorptive partitioning to the organic aerosol mass. The rapid response (&lt;1–2 h) of partitioning to temperature changes for bulk acids suggests that kinetic limitations to equilibrium are minor, which is in contrast to conclusions of some recent laboratory and field studies, possibly due to lack of very low ambient relative humidities at this site. Time trends for partitioning of individual and groups of acids were mostly captured by the model, with varying degrees of absolute agreement. Species with predicted substantial fractions in both the gas and particle phases show better absolute agreement, while species with very low predicted fractions in one phase often show poor agreement, potentially due to thermal decomposition, inlet adsorption, or other issues. Partitioning to the aqueous phase is predicted to be smaller than to the organic phase for alkanoic and bulk acids, and has different trends with time and carbon number than observed experimentally. This is due to the limited additional functionalization observed for the bulk acids. Partitioning to water appears to only play a role for the most oxidized acids during periods of high aerosol liquid water. Based on measurement–model comparison we conclude that species carbon number and oxygen content, together with ambient temperature, control the volatility of organic acids and are good predictors for partitioning at this site. Partitioning of bulk acids is more consistent with model predictions for hydroxy acids, hydroperoxyacids, or polyacids, and less so for keto acids.

Ozone-Driven Secondary Organic Aerosol Production Chain

Acidic sulfate particles are known to enhance secondary organic aerosol (SOA) mass in the oxidation of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) through accretion reactions and organosulfate formation. Enhanced phase transfer of epoxides, which form during the BVOC oxidation, into the acidified sulfate particles is shown to explain the latter process. We report here a newly identified ozone-driven SOA production chain that increases SOA formation dramatically. In this process, the epoxides interact with acidic sulfate particles, forming a new generation of highly reactive VOCs through isomerization. These VOCs partition back into the gas phase and undergo a new round of SOA forming oxidation reactions. Depending on the nature of the isomerized VOCs, their next generation oxidation forms highly oxygenated terpenoic acids or organosulfates. Atmospheric evidence is presented for the existence of marker compounds originating from this chain. The identified process partly explains the enhanced SOA formation in the presence of acidic particles on a molecular basis and could be an important source of missing SOA precursor VOCs that are currently not included in atmospheric models.

Comparison of Neuroprotective Effects of Melissa officinalis Total Extract and Its Acidic and Non-Acidic Fractions against A β-Induced Toxicity.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that was characterized with deposit of beta amyloid (Aβ) aggregate in senile plaque. Oxidative damage to neurons and loss of cholinergic neurons in forebrain region are observed in this disease. Melissa officinalis is a medicinal plant from Lamiaceae family, used traditionally in the treatment of cognitive disorders. It has cholinomimetic and potent antioxidant activity. In the present study, we investigated the possible neuroprotective effects of total ethanolic extract, acidic and nonacidic fraction of Melissa officinalis on Aβ-induced cytotoxicity and oxidative stress in PC12 cells and also measured their in-vitro anticholinesterase activity. PC12 cells were incubated with the extract and fractions prior to the incubation with Aβ and cell toxicity was assessed by MTT assay. In addition, productions of reactive oxygen species (ROS), Malondialdehyde (MDA) as a biomarker of lipid peroxidation and glutathione peroxidase activity were measured. Pretreatment of cells with total extract and acidic fraction (not non-acidic fraction) had protective effect against Aβ-induced oxidative changes and cell death. In concentrations in which both total extracts of an acidic fraction showed neuroprotective effects, inhibition of cholinesterase activity was not significant. Then, the protective effects of Melissa officinalis total extract and acidic fraction were not attributed to their anticholinesterase activity. Acidic fraction showed more potent protective effect compared to the total extract, leading to the fact that polyphenolic compounds and terpenoic acids are the most effective components in the total extract concentrated in this fraction.

Chemical characterisation of atmospheric aerosols during a 2007 summer field campaign at Brasschaat, Belgium: sources and source processes of biogenic secondary organic aerosol

Abstract. Measurements of organic marker compounds and inorganic species were performed on PM2.5 aerosols from a Belgian forest site that is severely impacted by urban pollution ("De Inslag", Brasschaat, Belgium) during a 2007 summer period within the framework of the "Formation mechanisms, marker compounds, and source apportionment for biogenic atmospheric aerosols (BIOSOL)" project. The measured organic species included (i) low-molecular weight (MW) dicarboxylic acids (LMW DCAs), (ii) methanesulfonate (MSA), (iii) terpenoic acids originating from the oxidation of α-pinene, β-pinene, d-limonene and Δ3-carene, and (iv) organosulfates related to secondary organic aerosol from the oxidation of isoprene and α-pinene. The organic tracers explained, on average, 5.3 % of the organic carbon (OC), of which 0.7 % was due to MSA, 3.4 % to LMW DCAs, 0.6 % to organosulfates, and 0.6 % to terpenoic acids. The highest atmospheric concentrations of most species were observed during the first five days of the campaign, which were characterised by maximum day-time temperatures &gt;22 °C. Most of the terpenoic acids and the organosulfates peaked during day-time, consistent with their local photochemical origin. High concentrations of 3-methyl-1,2,3-butanetricarboxylic acid (MBTCA) and low concentrations of cis-pinonic acid were noted during the first five days of the campaign, indicative of an aged biogenic aerosol. Several correlations between organic species were very high (r&gt;0.85), high (0.7

Essential Oils Composition from Roots of Santalum album L.

Essential oil from the roots of East Indian sandalwood, Santalum album L. was analyzed by GC and GC-MS. The root bark and sapwood yielded no extract. The heartwood of the plant yielded 10.3 % of oil by solvent extraction. Fifty-three compounds were detected, representing 99.9 % of the total oil. Forty-five of them were identified by close matches with standard mass spectra and those reported in the literature and by retention indices, which included 30 sesquiterpenols (78.5 %), 9 sesquiterpenes (7.8 %), 1 terpenoic acid (0.4 %), and 5 sesquiterpenoid isomers (4.4 %). The major constituents in the essential oils were α- and β-santalol, accounting for 19.6 and 16.0 %, respectively. The content of α-santalol was less than a proposed range of 41–55 %; however, β-santalol content was close to the specification of ≥ 18 %. The total content of bisabolenol A, B, C, D and their isomers was also high, 25.0 % of the oil.

Mass spectrometric characterization of isomeric terpenoic acids from the oxidation of α‐pinene, β‐pinene, d‐limonene, and Δ3‐carene in fine forest aerosol

In this study, we present liquid chromatographic and mass spectral data for predominant terpenoic acids formed through oxidation of α-pinene, β-pinene, d-limonene, and Δ(3)-carene that occur in fine forest aerosol from K-puszta, Hungary, a rural site with coniferous vegetation. Characterization of these secondary organic aerosol tracers in fine ambient aerosol is important because it allows one to gain information on monoterpene precursors and source processes such as oxidation and aging processes. The mass spectral data were obtained using electrospray ionization in the negative ion mode, accurate mass measurements, and linear ion trap tandem mass spectrometric experiments. Emphasis is given to the mass spectrometric differentiation of isobaric terpenoic acids, such as, e.g. the molecular weight (MW) 186 terpenoic acids, cis-pinic, cis-caric, homoterpenylic, ketolimononic, and limonic acids. Other targeted isobaric terpenoic acids are the MW 184 terpenoic acids, cis-pinonic and cis-caronic acids, and the MW 204 tricarboxylic acids, 3-methyl-1,2,3-butanetricarboxylic and 3-carboxyheptanedioic acids. Fragmentation pathways are proposed to provide a rational explanation for the observed isomeric differences and/or to support the suggested tentative structures. For the completeness of the data set, data obtained for recently reported lactone-containing terpenoic acids (i.e. terpenylic and terebic acids), related or isobaric compounds (i.e. norpinic acid, diaterpenylic acid acetate, and unknown MW 188 compounds) are also included, the rationale being that other groups working on this topic could use this data compilation as a reference.

Causes for the Improved Water Resistance in Pine Wood Linear Welded Joints

Linear vibration welding of good quality pine (Pinus sylvestris) wood from Sweden containing a small proportion of a native mixture of terpenoic acids, known under the collective name of rosin, has been shown to yield joints of much upgraded water resistance. This has been shown to be due to the protecting influence the molten rosin from the wood itself has on the welded interphase, because of the water repellency of rosin. Joints of unusually high percentage wood failure but modest strength were obtained, rosin apparently reinforcing the welded interphase to yield weldline strengths always much higher than the strength of the surrounding wood.

Terpenylic acid and related compounds: precursors for dimers in secondary organic aerosol from the ozonolysis of α- and β-pinene

Abstract. In the present study, we have characterized the structure of a higher-molecular weight (MW) 358 α- and β-pinene dimeric secondary organic aerosol (SOA) product that received ample attention in previous molecular characterization studies and has been elusive. Based on mass spectrometric evidence for deprotonated molecules formed by electrospray ionization in the negative ion mode and chemical considerations, it is suggested that diaterpenylic acid is a key monomeric intermediate for dimers of the ester type. It is proposed that cis-pinic acid is esterified with the hydroxyl-containing diaterpenylic acid, which can be explained through acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of the recently elucidated lactone-containing terpenylic acid and/or diaterpenylic acid acetate, both first-generation oxidation products. To a minor extent, higher-MW 358 and 344 diester products are formed containing other terpenoic acids as monomeric units, i.e., diaterpenylic acid instead of cis-pinic acid, and diaterebic acid instead of diaterpenylic acid. It is shown that the MW 358 diester and related MW 344 compounds, which can be regarded as processed SOA products, also occur in ambient fine (PM2.5) rural aerosol collected at night during the warm period of the 2006 summer field campaign conducted at K-puszta, Hungary, a rural site with coniferous vegetation. This indicates that, under ambient conditions, the higher-MW diesters are formed in the particle phase over a longer time-scale than that required for gas-to-particle partitioning of their monomeric precursors in laboratory α-/β-pinene ozonolysis experiments.

ChemInform Abstract: A General Synthesis of (2Z)-Terpenoic Acids.

Abstract A three-step synthesis of (2 Z ), (4 E )-polyenic acids 6 is described. Condensation of aldehydes 1 with potassium prenal enolate led to dihydropyranols 3 which were oxidized into dihydropyrones 5 , precursors of (2 Z) , (4 E )-polyenic acids 6 . The procedure was applied to a synthesis of 13- cis -retinoic acids from β-ionylidene acetaldehydes.

Terpenylic Acid and Related Compounds from the Oxidation of α-Pinene: Implications for New Particle Formation and Growth above Forests

Novel secondary organic aerosol (SOA) products from the monoterpene alpha-pinene with unique dimer-forming properties have been identified as lactone-containing terpenoic acids, i.e., terpenylic and 2-hydroxyterpenylic acid, and diaterpenylic acid acetate. The structural characterizations were based on the synthesis of reference compounds and detailed interpretation of mass spectral data. Terpenylic acid and diaterpenylic acid acetate are early oxidation products generated upon both photooxidation and ozonolysis, while 2-hydroxyterpenylic acid is an abundant SOA tracer in ambient fine aerosol that can be explained by further oxidation of terpenylic acid. Quantum chemical calculations support that noncovalent dimer formation involving double hydrogen bonding interactions between carboxyl groups of the monomers is energetically favorable. The molecular properties allow us to explain initial particle formation in laboratory chamber experiments and are suggested to play a role in new particle formation and growth above forests, a natural phenomenon that has fascinated scientists for more than a century.

Quantification of organic acids in particulate matter by coupling of thermally assisted hydrolysis and methylation with thermodesorption-gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

A quantitative method for the determination of organic acids in atmospheric particles is developed. The method couples a derivatisation step (thermally assisted hydrolysis and methylation) and a Curie point pyrolyser as a thermal desorption technique and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (CPP-GC–MS). Among the reagents tested (tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH), tetramethylammonium acetate (TMAAc) and phenyltrimethylammonium hydroxide (TMPAH)), the best performance was found using TMAAc as a derivatisation reagent for the reaction time of 4 s at 510 °C as heating temperature. Calibration was performed for a series of fatty acids (FA), dicarboxylic acids (DCA) and terpenoic acids (TA) under these conditions. Coefficients of determination ( R 2) were between 0.94 and 0.98. Limits of detection (LOD) were in the nanogram-range between 0.1 and 3.6 ng. The method is applied on atmospheric particle samples to obtain the quantification reproducibility and quantification limits. Reproducibility was determined in terms of relative standard deviations (RSD) for ambient aerosol samples collected by a high-volume-sampler (HVS, RSD = 6–45%, n = 10) and a Berner impactor (BI, RSD = 5–34%, n = 10). Based on 24 h sampling time the developed method enables quantification of all three classes of acids for both sampling techniques. Calibration data and presented volume concentrations are compared with literature data. A comparison with an off-line methylation-GC–MS using BF 3 as a derivatisation reagent and capillary electrophoresis coupled mass spectrometry (CE-MS) showed a good agreement. Minimal sample preparation is the main advantage of the developed method. Depending on the sensitivity requirements the present method can be a fast and simple alternative to GC–MS techniques with conventional sample preparation steps for semi-volatile organic acids.