This study investigates the analysis of thiol compounds using a needle trap device (HS-NTD) and solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) derivatized headspace techniques coupled to GC-MS. Thiol compounds and their outgassed products are particularly difficult to monitor in foodstuffs. It was found that with in-needle and in-fiber derivatization, using the derivatization agent N-phenylmaleimide, it was possible to enhance the selectivity toward thiol, which allowed the quantitation of butanethiol, ethanethiol, methanethiol, and propanethiol compounds found in fresh garlic. A side-hole NTD was prepared and packed in house and utilized mixed DVB and Carboxen polymer extraction phases made of 60-80 mesh particles. NTD sampling was accomplished in the exhaustive sampling mode, where breakthrough was negligible. This work demonstrates a new application for a side-hole NTD sampling. A commercial mixed polymer phase of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and divinylbenzene polymer (DVB) SPME fiber was used for SPME extractions. Under optimized derivatization, extraction, and analysis conditions for both NTD-GC-MS and SPME-GC-MS techniques, automated sampling methods were developed for quantitation. Both methods demonstrate a successful approach to thiol determination and provide a quantitative linear response between <0.1 and 10 mg L(-1) (R(2) = 0.9996), with limits of detection (LOD) in the low micrograms per liter range for the investigated thiols. Addition methods using known spiked quantities of thiol analytes in ground garlic facilitated method validation. Carry-over was also negligible for both SPME and NTD under optimized conditions.
L. 2007. Effect of forest harvesting and slash piling on microbial biomass and respiration in Newfoundland boreal forests. Can. J. Soil Sci. 87: 455-458. Clearcutting Newfoundland boreal forests significantly reduced organic layer fungal and total microbial biomass in clearcut areas with and without slash cover, compared with forested plots. However, aerobically incubated respiration rates were highest in organic layers from clearcut areas under slash, intermediate under forests, and lowest from clearcut areas without slash. [455][456][457][458]. La coupe à blanc des forêts boréales de Terre-Neuve diminue sensiblement la biomasse fongique dans la couche organique et la biomasse microbienne globale dans les zones exploitées recouvertes ou pas de branchages, comparativement aux parcelles boisées. Néanmoins, lors de l'incubation, on enregistre le taux de respiration aérobie le plus élevé dans la couche organique des zones déboisées couvertes de branchages, contre un taux moyen dans les zones boisées et le taux le plus faible dans les zones déboisées non recouvertes de branchages.
A convenient analytical method to quantify volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from various building materials has not been addressed yet. This work presents a new and rapid automated method using SPME combined with GC/MS. Methyl benzoate - as a metabolic biomarker for mold growth-was used to indicate VOCs and to determine and assess mold growth on damp samples. Gypsum board and wall-board paper were used as examples of common indoor building materials. Optimized extraction conditions were carried out manually, using a GC/flame ionization detector. Moldy samples were analyzed using an automated SPME-GC/MS analysis under optimized conditions. The amount of methyl benzoate emitted from the studied samples ranged from 32 to 46 ppb, where the density of the fungal biomass was found to be 8 x 10(4) cells/mL. A relationship between the amount of fungal biomass and the emitted concentration of methyl benzoate was found and assessed based upon cultured mold samples taken from indoor building sites. The analytical method shows promise for the compound methyl benzoate, which can easily be identified at low detection limits (LOD = 3 ppb) and good linearity (>0.988), and its extraction and detection can be accomplished cleanly by current extraction techniques. Results suggest that this method with easy sample preparation can be used for quantitation and, of importance, minimal matrix effects are observed.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.