Volatile Organic Compounds Research Articles

Study on the damage and variation of Agropyron mongolicum induced by the combined action of discharge plasma and plasma-activated water.

To investigate the effect of combined action of discharge plasma (DP) and plasma-activated water (PAW) in mutagenesis breeding, this study focuses on Agropyron mongolicum. We utilized high-voltage DC pulsed dielectric barrier discharge for seed treatment, alone and in combination with PAW. The research focused on germination rates, evolution of physicochemical properties of imbibition residual solution, reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to assess DP-induced damage and variability in Agropyron mongolicum. Results indicated that after 18h of combined treatment, the germination rate of Agropyron mongolicum dropped to 29.67%, below the LD50 threshold. Treated seedlings exhibited elevated ROS and MDA levels compared to controls. The concentration of reactive nitrogen and oxygen species (RONS) in the imbibition residual solution of the combined treatment group was lower than in freshly prepared PAW, indicating RONS penetration into the seed embryo via water, leading to oxidative damage. Enhanced lateral root differentiation, early tillering, increased biomass, and albino variant plants were observed in the surviving seedlings post-treatment. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) and Gas Chromatography-Ion Mobility Spectrometry (GC-IMS) analysis confirmed that plasma treatment induced oxidative damage in Agropyron mongolicum. In conclusion, high-power, long-duration direct DP treatment caused oxidative damage and reduced germination rates in Agropyron mongolicum, with PAW intensifying these effects. PAW was identified as the main driver of variation and lethality, while DP played a supportive role. Combined DP and PAW treatment induced variations in Agropyron mongolicum, providing experimental evidence and theoretical insights for applying DP treatment in plant mutagenesis breeding.

Exposome-Wide Association Study of Thyroid Function Using U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Data.

Previous epidemiologic studies examining thyroid function and chemical exposures have typically focused on a single or a limited number of chemical classes, often neglecting the effects of chemical mixtures. This study addressed this gap by exploring the associations between exposure to hundreds of chemicals and thyroid function using an exposome-wide association study (ExWAS) approach and National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data. We analyzed data from three NHANES cycles (2007-2008, 2009-2010, 2011-2012), which include measures of thyroid function (free and total triiodothyronine [T3], free and total thyroxine [T4], thyroid-stimulating hormone [TSH]) and chemical biomarker concentrations from 9,082 participants. For adolescents (aged 12-19 years) and adults (aged ≥20 years), we employed multiple regression by accounting for survey weights to identify biomarkers associated with thyroid function test levels and used Bayesian group weighted quantile sum (BGWQS) regression to assess the effects of chemical mixtures on these measurements. After adjusting for multiple comparisons, we found in single exposure scenarios that 44 and 67 biomarkers were associated with at least one thyroid function measure in adolescents and adults, respectively (adjusted p-value <0.05). In scenarios involving mixed chemical exposures, groups such as pesticides, sodium/iodide symporter (NIS) inhibitors, and metals were associated with alterations in thyroid hormones or TSH across both age groups. Volatile organic compounds were specifically linked to lower T4 levels in adolescents, whereas phenols and parabens were associated with lower TSH levels exclusively in adults. Although limited by the cross-sectional data, this study identifies chemical biomarkers linked to thyroid thyroid function.

Effect of support on the catalytic performance of Au-Co3O4 catalysts: An operando DRIFTS-MS study of the propane total oxidation

This study investigates the effect of different supports on the catalytic performance of Au-Co3O4 nanoparticles in the total oxidation of propane, aiming to understand the interaction between the supported gold and cobalt oxide particles and the role of the support in enhancing the catalytic activity. Catalysts were prepared via the sequential deposition–precipitation with urea method, with TiO2 and Al2O3 as supports. We found that the AuCo3O4/TiO2 system exhibited higher catalytic activity and lower activation energy, compared to AuCo3O4/Al2O3. The enhanced performance of the AuCo3O4/TiO2 catalyst was attributed to the high mobility of surface oxygen species and the presence of oxygen vacancies. Operando DRIFTS-MS was used to characterize the intermediate species formed during the reaction. This technique revealed the presence of different intermediate species on the catalyst surfaces, with TiO2-supported catalysts showing enolate and carbonate adsorbed species at lower temperatures, enhancing the propane oxidation efficiency. In contrast, Al2O3-supported catalysts predominantly formed acetate adsorbed species at higher temperatures, indicating a less efficient oxidation process. The results demonstrated that the choice of support significantly affects the catalytic performance of Au-Co3O4 nanoparticles, with TiO2 providing superior oxyphility due to its reducibility and ability to promote the formation of active oxygen species. The study highlights the importance of the support material in the design of effective catalysts for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) oxidation.

Mechanically Robust Bi-functional Hydrophobic Polycarbazole Decorated Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes-Pithecellobium Dulce Oil Polyester-amide Nanocomposite Coatings: Fabrication, Characterization, Anticorrosive and Antimicrobial Studies

Processing and applying commercial-polymer coatings encompassing organic solvents, yield volatile organic compounds (VOC) causing severe health hazards and depletion of fossil fuels, managed through stringent environmental acts. To overcome these...

1-Bromopropane induces mitochondrial damage and lipid metabolism imbalance in respiratory epithelial cells through the PGC-1α/PPARα pathway.

1-Bromopropane (1-BP) has become a new air pollutant in occupational and living environments due to its advantages in industrial applications and as a representative compound of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). As an irritant, its damaging effects on respiratory epithelium are worthy of further study. This study aimed to explore the damage effects of 1-BP on respiratory epithelial cells and reveal its underlying mechanisms. We found that exposure to 1-BP markedly reduced the viability of respiratory epithelial cells in a dose-dependent manner, and induced oxidative stress and vacuolation changes in respiratory epithelial cells. Subsequently, through RNA-seq analysis, we identified that the 1-BP-induced damage of respiratory epithelial cells was related to the mitochondrial function pathway and further verified that 1-BP caused mitochondrial damage of respiratory epithelial cells, which was manifested as ultrastructural damage, decreased membrane potential, ATP, and MFN2 levels. These damages were associated with cellular oxidative stress responses. Pretreating cells with the agonists of PGC-1α and PPARα, we revealed that 1-BP affected the expression of PGC-1α and interfered with its coactivator PPARα levels, causing an increase in the expression of lipid-producing genes and a decrease in the expression of lipid-decomposing genes, thus leading to a lipid accumulation in respiratory epithelial cells. Meanwhile, the imbalance of lipid metabolism in respiratory epithelial cells induced by 1-BP further caused mitochondrial damage, and the effect was bidirectional. These findings suggested that 1-BP has a potential role in inducing respiratory epithelial cell damage and is associated with the PGC-1α/PPARα signaling pathway.

Engineering a surface functionalized Pt@SnS2/Ti3C2Tx MXene sensor with humidity tolerance and high sensitivity at room temperature for NH3 detection

The design of hierarchical heterostructures that can detect volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at room temperature with good selectivity, sensitivity, and humidity tolerance is an intriguing and practically useful area of research.

Global human exposure of atmospheric polybrominated diphenyl ethers: Variation patterns of exposure pathways and phase contributions.

At present, there are still certain limitations in the research on the pathways and phase contributions of semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) to human exposure in the atmosphere. This study clarified the contribution rates of inhalation and dermal exposure of particulate and gaseous polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) on a global scale, as well as their influencing factors and mechanisms. Data on gaseous PBDEs were collected from 125 cities across 38 countries and regions to predict size-resolved particulate exposure levels, utilizing our previous method for inhalation alongside a size-dependent prediction method for dermal exposure developed in this study. The global distribution of PBDEs in gas phase showed a significant negative correlation (r = - 0.40, p<0.05) with the level of per capita GDP, resulting in a similar pattern of human exposure to atmospheric PBDEs. The highest daily intake was found in Africa (75.4pg/(kg·day)), followed by Asia (21.8pg/(kg·day)), North America (5.38pg/(kg·day)) and Europe (1.92pg/(kg·day)). Inhalation pathways dominated human exposure to atmospheric PBDEs. The contributions of particle phase to the total human exposure presented a pattern of Europe (26.8%)<North America (33.5%)<Asia (43.7%)<Africa (59.8%), exhibiting a significant positive correlation with TSP (r=0.79, p<0.01). An important finding was that the fluctuation of TSP around 70 μg/m3 may lead to alterations in the primary exposure phase for humans. Temperature exerted negative effects on the particulate contribution of low-brominated PBDEs varying in different individuals. In this study, a web platform was also developed, which offered predictions of inhalation and dermal exposures to SVOCs, obviously improving the efficiency of evaluating human exposure to atmospheric PBDEs and researching their exposure patterns.

Mechanistic insights into the adsorption of different types of VOCs on monolayer MoS2via first-principles approaches

The underlying mechanism that correlates adsorption energy with both the specific volatile organic compound (VOC) category and the carbon chain length on the MoS2 monolayer is elucidated through DFT calculations.

Dual spatial region flexible chlorine based ionic hypercrosslinked polymer synergistically adsorb formaldehyde and carbon dioxide

Efficient adsorption and purification of low concentration volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbon dioxide (CO2) mixture in high-humidity environments remain a daunting challenge for researchers. In this study, a dual spatial region synergistic adsorption strategy was proposed to achieve synchronous and efficient capture of formaldehyde and CO2 on flexible chlorine (Cl) based ionic hypercross-linked polymer (Cl-IHCP). Through the ordered self-assembly of ionic monomers, the array-distributed free Cl, terminal Cl, and pyrrole nitrogen (N) sites were integrated into the skeletal network of Cl-IHCP and formed ultra-microporous environment with two different adsorption regions. Different adsorption regions exhibited varying adsorption affinities for formaldehyde and CO2 molecules on three sites, thereby weakening their competitive adsorption and achieving high adsorption for both. Besides, the strong binding force of formaldehyde and CO2 molecules in different regions makes the skeleton-responsive swelling of Cl-IHCP, and created new adsorption microenvironments for the other adsorbate. This manner considerably enhanced the adsorption capacity of Cl-IHCP for formaldehyde and CO2 in mixed-component, increasing by approximately 45% and 70% respectively compared to single component formaldehyde and CO2. These fascinating properties enabled Cl-IHCP to synergistically adsorb formaldehyde and CO2 mixtures in high humidity environments. This study innovatively proposed a simple and cost-effective strategy for removing VOCs and CO2 under high humidity, providing a feasible solution for green air purification technology.

Metabolic profiling of endophytic fungi acting as antagonists of the banana pathogen Colletotrichum musae.

Three endophytic strains, Phomopsis sp., Fusarium proliferatum, and Tinctoporellus epimiltinus, isolated from various plants in the rainforest of the Philippines, were investigated regarding their ability to repress growth of the pathogenic fungus Colletotrichum musae on banana fruits causing anthracnose disease. An in vitro plate-to-plate assay and an in vivo sealed box assay were conducted, using commercial versus natural potato dextrose medium (PDA). All tested endophytes were able to significantly reduce C. musae growth compared to the control. However, the type of medium had no significant effect on lesion size of C. musae on banana. An interaction effect between fungal strain and medium could be shown. On the commercial medium, no differences between the biocontrol ability of the fungi and control treatments could be found, while there were significant differences between the fungal strains on natural medium. Lesions on banana incubated with Phomopsis sp. on natural medium were significantly but only slightly larger than those on banana incubated with F. proliferatum. Volatiles released by these two strains and one pathogenic strain of F. graminearum were collected using polydimethylsiloxane tubes and analyzed via gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Twelve volatile metabolites were detected. Benzaldehyde was the most prominent volatile emitted from the commercial and plain medium. 2-Undecanone, 2-nonanone, and phenylethyl-alcohol were detected in individual samples in both media. 1-Decanol and acoradiene were exclusive to the commercial medium, with acoradiene also being unique to F. proliferatum. Five volatileorganic compounds (VOCs)were emitted from all tested fungal species: 2-heptanone, 2-nonanone, 2-undecanone, 2-tridecanone, and phenylethyl-alcohol. Beta-acorenol was detected in F. proliferatum grown on both media. To reveal whether the medium (commercial PDA versus potato extract) affected the metabolism of the fungi, metabolic footprints were assessed via high performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry MS (HPLC-QTOF-MS). A total of 388 metabolic signals were recorded. The intensities of 80-90% of these signals differed significantly between the two types of media. Metabolic footprints varied in response to different potato dextrose medium preparations. The two promising fungal strains may be used to reduce postharvest decay and losses in fruits.

Manipulating weak interactions between host/guest and analytes in Cu(I)-cluster-based MOF for fluorescent gas sensing towards chlorinated volatile organic compounds

Manipulating weak interactions between host/guest and analytes in Cu(I)-cluster-based MOF for fluorescent gas sensing towards chlorinated volatile organic compounds

Volatile organic compounds profile of sebum from patients with Parkinson’s disease by gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry

Volatile organic compounds profile of sebum from patients with Parkinson’s disease by gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry

Room-temperature rapid synthesis of hierarchically porous ZIF-93 for effective adsorption of volatile organic compounds

A rapid synthesis strategy was developed to produce HP-ZIFs at room temperature and ambient pressure within just 1 min, resulting in a high STY. The synthesized HP-ZIFs exhibit abundant porosity and enhanced VOCs adsorption properties.

Characteristics and Secondary Transformation Potential of Volatile Organic Compounds Based on Hourly Variation to Infer Best Ways to Manage Air Quality

Characteristics and Secondary Transformation Potential of Volatile Organic Compounds Based on Hourly Variation to Infer Best Ways to Manage Air Quality

The comparison of volatile organic compound profiles between human and non-human bones and its application to human remains detection dogs

The comparison of volatile organic compound profiles between human and non-human bones and its application to human remains detection dogs

Speciating volatile organic compounds in indoor air: using in-situ GC to interpret real-time PTR-MS signals

Proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) is often employed to characterize gas-phase compounds in both indoor and outdoor environments. PTR-MS measurements are usually made without upstream chromatographic separation, so it...

Kinetic multilayer models for surface chemistry in indoor environments.

Multiphase interactions and chemical reactions at indoor surfaces are of particular importance due to their impact on air quality in indoor environments with high surface to volume ratios. Kinetic multilayer models are a powerful tool to simulate various gas-surface interactions including partitioning, diffusion and multiphase chemistry of indoor compounds by treating mass transport and chemical reactions in a number of model layers in the gas and condensed phases with a flux-based approach. We have developed a series of kinetic multilayer models that have been applied to describe multiphase chemistry and interactions indoors. They include the K2-SURF model treating the reversible adsorption of volatile organic compounds on surfaces, the KM-BL model treating diffusion through an indoor surface boundary layer, the KM-FILM model treating organic film formation by multi-layer adsorption and film growth by absorption of indoor compounds, and the KM-SUB-Skin-Clothing model treating reactions of ozone with skin lipids in skin and clothing. We also developed the effective mass accommodation coefficient that can treat surface partitioning by effectively taking into account kinetic limitations of bulk diffusion. In this study we provide detailed instructions and code annotations of these models for the model user. Example sensitivity simulations that investigate the impact of input parameters are presented to help with familiarization to the codes. The user can adapt the codes as required to model experimental and indoor field campaign measurements, can use the codes to gain insights into important reactions and processes, and can extrapolate to new conditions that may not be accessible by measurements.

Biofiltration as a sustainable approach for the treatment of hydrophobic volatile organic compounds: Improvement strategies and integrated systems

Biofiltration as a sustainable approach for the treatment of hydrophobic volatile organic compounds: Improvement strategies and integrated systems

In situ synthesis of spatially hierarchically porous SnO2 nanostructures as efficient ethanol sensors: Unveiling porosity and support effect

Porous SnO2 nanostructures have garnered tremendous attention for detecting volatile organic compounds due to their high surface area, oxygen vacancies, and massive adsorption and diffusion sites for gases. However, the effect of porosity and support on the ethanol-sensing behavior of SnO2 still needs to be clarified. Herein, porous SnO2 nanostructures supported on reduced graphene (SnO2/rGO) were synthesized via the hydrothermal method, followed by annealing at different temperatures under air. The hydrothermal method with annealing at 500 °C endowed the formation of spatial hierarchical porous SnO2 microspheres (HMP-SnO2-500) composed of small nanoflakes, but at 300 °C, aggregated microspheres with less porosity (HMP-SnO2-300) were formed, and hydrothermal alone yielded aggregated flakes on rGO nanosheets (SnO2/rGO). The porosity and crystallinity of SnO2 improved significantly after annealing at 500 °C under air, and the particle size also decreased. Thereby, the ethanol sensing properties of HMP-SnO2-500 were higher than those of HMP-SnO2-300, SnO2/rGO, and SnO2, with a detection limit of 0–3000 ppm, a quick response time of 5–20 s, fast recovery, long-term durability (12 days), and outstanding sensitivity in the presence of different volatile organic materials. This is due to the hierarchical porosity, high surface area, higher electrical conductivity, and synergetic effect of HMP-SnO2-500, which may open new gates for the rational design of self-standing or supported porous SnO2 nanostructures for efficient sensing of organic materials.

Characterization of flavor profiles of wines produced with Coniella vitis-infected grapes by GC-MS, HPLC, and sensory analysis.

Grapevine white rot is a fungal disease that frequently occurs during the growing season, resulting in reduced fruit quality and severe yield losses. This work aimed to compare the differences in flavor profiles between wines made from different percentages of Coniella vitis-infected grapes by using FTIR spectrometer, sensory analysis, HS-SPME-GC-MS and HPLC-DAD. C. vitis infection significantly increased the soluble solids, glycerol and glucuronic acid contents, decreased the ethanol, malic and tartaric acid contents, altered the sensory characteristics of wines. Volatile phenolics, i.e., phenol, 4-ethylphenol and 4-ethylguaiacol, were the most significant difference volatile organic compounds of C. vitis infection, and methyl octanoate could be considered as an early marker of infection. C. vitis infection significantly increased most phenolic compounds contents and improved the antioxidant capacity of wine. This study would provide some new insights to understand the effect of grapevine white rot on characteristics flavor profiles of wines.