The purpose of this investigation is to attempt to learn something of the biochemical ecology of volatile substances produced by actinomycetes.

Diploma thesis is focused on cocoa beans volatile compounds from various region (Tanzania, Haiti, Ecuador, Madagascar and Peru) and chocolate bars made of them. The main aim was to judge diferences between samples according to geographycal origin. At the same time, samples of chocolates with different content of cocoa solids (50%, 70% „organic“, 70%, 78%, 90%) and a sample of cocoa powder from the common market were analyzed. Volatiles were identified and semiquantified by HS-SPME-GC-MS. A total of 86 volatile substances were identified, they were divided into 7 groups according to the nature of the odor: fruit tones (17), nut and chocolate (16), astringent and sour (12), unspecified (14), sweet nad honey (10), earthy (9) and floral (8). The data were transformed into a 2D graph by analyzing the main component according to selected distinguishing varibles. The difference in the volatile substances of cocoa beans depending on the geographical origin were confirmed using principal component analysis.

South American plant Clusia blattophila, growing on Nouraghes of French Guiana, produces relatively large amounts of volatile substances in the fragrance of its flowers. C. blattophila is dioecious plant with different flowering time of monosex flowers Male flowers bloom for one night, while female flowers bloom two nights. The volatiles were adsorbed to the adsorbent and washed out with hexane with internal standard. Analysis was performed by two-dimensional gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection. The aim of my thesis was to determine the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of flower scents of both sexes. I also studied, whether there are differences in production of the major fragrance component, acetoin, during the first night of blooming. The flower fragrance is complex blend of volatiles. In total, 43 different chemicals were identified. Among them were monoterpenes (α-pinene, camphene, β-pinene, myrcene, limonene, (E)-β-ocimene, camphor) sesquiterpenes (α-copaene, β-caryophyllene, cis-α-bergamotene, trans-α-bergamotene, aromadendrene, (E,E)-α-farnesene, δ-cadinene), aldehydes (1-pentanal, 1-hexanal, 1-octanal, n-decanal), also four ketones (acetoin and its dimer, 2,5-hexanedione, 6-methylhept-5-en-2-one), alcohol butane-2,3-diol, carboxylic acid 2-methylpropanoic,...

This work describes a master’s thesis in engineering physics at Umeå University carried out during the spring semester of 2014. In the thesis the student has constructed and tested a temperature controlled cell for cooling/heating of surface-enhanced-Raman-spectroscopy (SERS) substrates for rapid detection of volatile substances. The thesis was carried out at the Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI) in Umeå, Sweden. A Linkam Scientific Instruments TS1500 cell was equipped with a Peltier element for cooling/heating and a thermistor temperature sensor. A control system was constructed, based on an Arduino Uno microcontroller board and a pulse-width-modulated (PWM) H-bridge motor driver to control the Peltier element using a proportional-integral (PI) control algorithm. The temperature controlled cell was able to regulate the temperature of a SERS substrate within -15 to +110 °C and maintain the temperature over prolonged periods at ±0.22 °C of the set point temperature. Gas phase of 2-chloro-2-(difluoromethoxy)-1,1,1-trifluoro-ethane (isoflurane) was flowed through the cell and SERS spectra were collected at different temperatures and concentrations. This test showed that the signal is increased when the substrate is cooled and reversibly decreased when the substrate was heated. Keywords: temperature control, Raman scattering, surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy SERS, SERS substrate, volatile substances, Peltier module, thermistor, PWM, H-bridge, PI(D) control. / Detta dokument beskriver ett examensarbete för civilingenjörsexamen i teknisk fysik vid Umeå Universitet som utförts under vårterminen 2014. I examensarbetet har en kyl-/värmecell för temperaturkontroll av substratytor för ytförstärkt ramanspektroskopi (SERS) för snabb detektion av farliga flyktiga ämnen konstruerats och testats. Arbetet utfördes vid Totalförsvarets forskningsinstitut (FOI) i Umeå, Sverige. Utgångspunkten var ett Linkam Scientific Instruments TS1500 mikroskopsteg, vilket utrustades med ett Peltierelement för kylning/värmning och en termistor för temperaturövervakning. Ett styrsystem baserat på ett Arduino Uno mikrostyrenhetskort konstruerades med ett motordrivkort (H-brygga) vilket använder pulsbreddsmodulering (PWM) för att reglera spänningen till Peltierelementet utifrån en PI-regulator. Den färdiga cellen klarade att reglera temperaturen på ett SERS-substrat i ett temperaturspann på ungefär -15 till +110 °C med en temperaturstabilitet på ±0.22 °C av måltemperaturen. Cellen testades sedan på flyktiga ämnen för att visa dess funktion. Difluorometyl-2,2,2-trifluoro-1-kloroetyleter (isofluran) i gasfas, med instrumentluft som bärargas, flödades genom cellen och SERS-spektra erhölls vid olika koncentrationer och temperaturer. Vid samtliga koncentrationer visades att lägre temperatur ger ökad signalstyrka. När ytan sedan värmdes upp sjönk signalen reversibelt tillbaka till ursprungsvärdet. Nyckelord: temperaturkontroll, ytförstärkt ramanspektroskopi, SERS, flyktiga ämnen, Peltierelement, thermistor, PWM, H-brygga, PI(D)-regulator.