Bacterial volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are signal molecules that may have beneficial roles in the soil-plant-microbiome ecosystem. In this Ph.D. thesis, I aimed to assess and characterize the role of bacterial VOCs in plant tolerance to drought and in the biocontrol of fungal pathogens. I started by studying two root endophytic bacteria isolated from pepper plants cultivated under desert farming conditions. They showed an enhancement of pepper tolerance to drought stress and an amelioration of its physiological status. Moreover, they induced the expression of a vacuolar pyrophosphatase proton pump (V-PPase), implicated in the regulation of the vacuolar osmotic pressure, facilitating water uptake. Besides, the exposure of Arabidopsis thaliana plants, grown under salinity stress, to the volatile 2,3-butanediol, described for its plant growth promotion (PGP) potential, enhanced the plants tolerance to salinity, proving the potential involvement of this volatile in the osmotic stress resistance mechanism. Then, I studied VOCs released by three bacteria associated to healthy rice plants. Their released VOCs mixtures modified the color pattern of Magnaporthe oryzae, the agent of the rice blast disease, and protected rice from the pathogen infection. A significant reduction of melanin production, sporulation and appressoria formation was measured in presence of the bacterial VOCs, without major effects on mycelial proliferation. 1-butanol-3-methyl, one of the nine VOCs co-produced by the studied bacteria, proved its potential of reducing M. oryzae melanin in vitro. In vivo tests confirmed the infection inhibition effects mediated by the rice-bacterial VOCs, with a reduction of 94% of the disease incidence. Lastly, I compared the genomes of the five bacteria considered in the previous experimental studies. The PGP traits and the VOCs pathways identified from the genome analyses confirmed the effects observed with the in vitro and in vivo assays, revealing a complex mode of promotion and protection offered by the studied plant-associated bacteria. In conclusion, plant-associated bacterial VOCs can play potentially important roles in modulating plant drought tolerance and reducing fungal virulence. Such biological resources represent novel tools to counteract the deleterious effects of abiotic and biotic stresses and have the potential to be exploited for sustainable approaches in agriculture.

<p>The aim of this study is to identify metabolic transformations in breast cancer through urinary volatile organic compounds in mammary pad or bone tumor mice models. Subsequently, it focuses on investigating the efficacy of therapeutic intervention through identified potential biomarkers. Methods for monitoring tumor development and treatment responses have technologically advanced over the years leading to significant increase in percent survival rates. Although these modalities are reliable, it would be beneficial to observe disease progression from a new perspective to gain greater understanding of cancer pathogenesis. Analysis of cellular energetics affected by cancer using bio-fluids can non-invasively help in prognosis and selection of treatment regimens. The hypothesis is altered profiles of urinary volatile metabolites is directly related to disrupted metabolic pathways. Additionally, effectiveness of treatments can be indicated through changes in concentration of metabolites. In this ancillary experiment, mouse urine specimens were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, an analytical chemistry tool in identifying volatile organic compounds. Female BALB/c mice were injected with 4T1.2 murine breast tumor cells in the mammary fat pad. Consecutively, 4T1.2 cells were injected in the right iliac artery of BALB/c mice and E0771 tumor cells injected in the tibia of C57BL/6 mice to model bone tumor. The effect of two different modes of treatment: chemical drug and mechanical stimulation was investigated through changes in compound profiles. Chemical drug therapy was conducted with dopamine agents, Triuoperazine, Fluphenazine and a statin, Pitavastatin. Mechanical stimulation included tibia and knee loading at the site of tumor cell injection were given to mice. A biological treatment mode included administration of A5 osteocyte cell line. A set of potential volatile organic compounds biomarkers differentiating mammary pad or bone confined tumors from healthy controls was identified using forward feature selection. Effect of treatments was demonstrated through hierarchical heat maps and multivariate data analysis. Compounds identified in series of experiments belonged to the class of terpenoids, precursors of cholesterol molecules. Terpene synthesis is a descending step of mevalonate pathway suggesting its potential role in cancer pathogenesis. This thesis demonstrates the ability of urine volatilomics to indicate signaling pathways inflicted in tumors. It proposes a concept of using urine to detect tumor developments at two distinct locations as well as to monitor treatment efficacy.</p><br>

Content: Today, automotive leather has to meet a multitude of requirements for different automotive brands. In addition to the important traditional aesthetic properties, such as the feel and appearance of the leather, a growing number of measurable specification parameters have been added over time. One of these parameters are the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) which the final leather article emits. The large number of emission specifications, each with its own limits, represents a major challenge in the development of automotive leather today. Each of these methods has a slightly different substance focus and highlights certain groups of volatile substances in the test result. This often makes a targeted development for a certain leather article with associated test method necessary. The recurring question of how to further reduce the emissions of automotive leather is answered by presenting the latest developments from the Leverkusen laboratories as one focus of this work. The increasingly profound measurement of the emissions over the last decades has led to VOCs becoming reduced from grams to micrograms per kilogram of leather. Most probably because of this dramatic reduction in VOC levels, the focus of the regulations has switched today more from quantity of emissions to the properties of single substances emitted. Often the exact source of these substances were initially unknown and consequently a specific solution to meet the limits were not available. The search for the sources is becoming increasingly complex and difficult as many of these substances are not applied directly but are often degradation products of other compounds. Often the measured low concentrations are in the range of the natural decomposition processes. Nevertheless, it is possible to identify some of the sources by evaluating the results of different analytical methods. Thus it is now possible to develop suitable countermeasures. The presentation of the source of special single volatile organic substances as well as their reduction forms a further focus of this work. Take-Away: Reduction of Emissions Finding sources of substances emitted from leather Presenting countermeasures to reduce those substances

No description available.

This thesis concerns the development of semiochemical identification expertise and methodology at the University of Pretoria. The Eucalyptus snout beetle Gonipterus scutellatus was used as a model insect in developing these methods, firstly because it is a known pest in the Eucalyptus forestry industry of South Africa. Secondly, nothing is known about its chemical ecology and lastly, it is a relatively large insect that is easily worked on. Three main techniques were used namely: Electroantennography (EAG), Gas Chromatography Electroantennography Detection (GC-EAD) and Gas Chromatog- raphy Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). EAG was used to difierentiate and identify certain Eucalyptus species that were expected to contain compounds that may function as either kairomones or allomones for G. scutellatus. The EAG process revealed that G. scutellatus responds more intensely to damaged Eucalyptus leaves as compared to undamaged leaves. The crushed foliage of the known hosts Eucalyptus globulus and E. viminalis gave larger responses than the crushed foliage from a known non-host E. citriodora. We sampled the volatiles from the crushed foliage of these three species and tentatively identified sixteen compounds from the E. globulus volatile profile that was antennally active for G. scutellatus females. The presence of these volatiles were subsequently investigated for E. viminalis and E. citriodora. The green leaf volatiles, (Z)-3 hexenyl acetate, (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol and (E)-2-hexenal and aromatic compounds, 2-phenylethanol, benzyl acetate and ethylphenylacetate often gave larger responses than the terpenes such as α-pinene, β-pinene and camphene. Crushed E. globulus leaves contained 2-phenyl ethanol, benzyl acetate, ethylphenylacetate, eucalyptol, α-pinene, (Z)-3 hexenyl acetate, (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol and (E)-2-hexenal that were antennally active. The E. viminalis profile had very little 2-phenylethanol and virtually no benzyl acetate. The E. citriodora volatile profile contained very little (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol, (E)-2-hexenal, 2-phenylethanol, benzyl acetate and ethylphenylacetate. These compounds may influence the host selection behaviour of G. scutellatusfemales. These volatiles can be tested in a behavioural bioassay in order to determine their effect on the Eucalyptus snout beetle G. scutellatus. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Chemistry / unrestricted

6 Abstract This thesis focuses on the identification and quantification of volatile metabolites in the exhaled breath that might be used as possible biomarkers of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease. Animal tissue samples were exposed to conditions simulating the gastric environment to identify specific volatile compounds that would be chosen for real-time quantification in exhaled breath of GERD patients and healthy controls using selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry. Solid phase microextraction, was used in combination with gas chromatography mass spectrometry, for qualitative analyses of the headspace of these samples. Only acetic acid was significantly elevated and so it has been elected for the quantitative analysis in the breath of the patients. The median concentration of acetic acid measured by SIFT-MS in the exhaled breath of twenty-two GERD patients was found to be higher (85 ppbv) in comparison to the control group (31 ppbv). The results show that breath acetic acid could be valuable marker for GERD diagnosis and monitoring.

Les composes carbonyles et BTEX (benzène, toluène, éthylbenzène et xylène) sont deux groupes importants de composés organiques volatils (COV) présents dans l'atmosphère. Ils ont une contribution significative à la formation d'oxydants tels que l'ozone, PAN et d'autres photo-oxydants dans la troposphère. En outre, ils ont des effets néfastes sur la santé humaine. Dans ce travail, les concentrations atmosphériques de carbonyles et d’hydrocarbures aromatiques ont été mesurées et quantifiées en utilisant des techniques HPLC et GC-MS sur un site de mesure semi-urbain à Orléans (ICARE, France), de juin 2010 à août 2011. D’autres mesures ont été conduites à Pékin (CAS-RCEES, Chine) du 6 au 28 Juin 2013 en utilisant les mêmes techniques expérimentales. Les résultats obtenus dans ces deux sites sont présentés, comparés et discutés. / Carbonyls and BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethyl-benzene and xylene) are two important groups of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) present in the atmosphere. They have a significant contribution to the formation of oxidants such as ozone, PAN and other photooxidants in the troposphere. In addition, they have adverse effects on human health. In this work, atmospheric concentrations of carbonyls and aromatic hydrocarbons were measured and quantified using GC-MS and HPLC techniques at a semi-urban site in Orleans (ICARE, France), from June 2010 to August 2011. Urban ambient air sampling was also performed in 6-28th June 2013 in Beijing (RCEES-CAS, China). It has been conducted in order to compare the measured concentrations of the investigated species in two different sites using the same analytical techniques. All results are presented and discussed.

Organic aerosols have significant effects on human health, air quality and climate. Secondary organic aerosols (SOA) are produced by the oxidation of primary-volatile organic compounds (VOC). For example, α-pinene reacts with oxidants such as hydroxyl radical (OH), ozone (O3), and nitrate radical (NO3), accounting for a significant portion of total organic aerosol in the atmosphere. Experimental studies have shown that the oxidation process between α-pinene and ozone has the most significant impact in the formation of SOA (Hoffmann et al., 1997). Most of the models used to predict SOA formation, however, are limited in that they neglect the role of water due to uncertainty about the structure and nature of organic compounds, in addition to uncertainty about the effect of varying relative humidity (RH) on atmospheric organic particulate matter (OPM) (Kanakidou et al., 2005). For this study, structures of organic compounds involved in the formation of SOA are estimated, and the role of water uptake is incorporated in the process. The Combinatorial Aerosol Formation Model (CAFM) is a deterministic model used to determine the amount of organic mass (Mo µg m-3) formation based on the predicted structures. Results show that the amount of SOA that is formed is almost negligible when the amount of parent hydrocarbon involved in the reaction is low (i.e. around 5 µg m-3), especially at lower RH. Observing compounds with a greater number of polar groups (alcohol and carboxylic acid) indicates that structure has a significant effect on organic mass formation. This observation is in agreement with the fact that the more hydrophilic the compound is, the higher RH, leading to more condensation into the PM phase.

No description available.

The determination of carbon monoxide is also possible by trapping CO on preconditioned molecular sieve and thermal desorption. Analysis in this case is performed by gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy, although the trapping technique is applicable to other suitable GC techniques.