Team:Valencia UPV/Project/modules/methodology/dynamic headspace

Project > Modules > Methodology > Dynamic Headspace ST

The Idea

In order to analyse the amount of pheromones released by our Sexy plant into the environment (see Release), we performed a dynamic headspace sampling technique. This technique allows analysing the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the plant, including insect pheromones (see Biosynthesis).

This technique consists of a container where the plant is introduced (Figure 1 [1]). This container is sealed except for two conducts. One from which a continuous pure air stream (Figure 1 [2]) flows through the container acting as a carrier in order to facilitate the release of volatiles from the plant. This pure air comes from a pump (Figure 1 [3]). The other conduct allows the purge of air from the headspace of the container, and leads directly to an absorbent matrix capable of trapping the VOCs, including our pheromones (Figure 1.[4]). We used Tenax ® TA adsorbent resin adsorbent, which has high affinity for organic volatiles.

Once all VOCs have been trapped and enriched on the adsorbent matrix, they are ready to be analysed by GC-MS.

No conclusive results were obtained in this analysis.