Advanced technologies call for composting indoors minimized impact on the surrounding environment. However, enclosing compost piles inside halls may cause accumulation of toxic pollutants, including carbon monoxide (CO). Thus, there is a need to assess occupational risk workers that can be exposed CO concentrations > 300 ppm at initial stage process. The objectives were (1) develop model in ...

Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) causes sporadic but serious disease in Australian potato crops. TSWV is naturally spread to potato by thrips of which Thrips tabaci is the most important. Prior studies indicated possible non-preference of potato cultivars to T. tabaci. Select potato cultivars were assessed for non-preference to T. tabaci in paired and group choice trials. Cultivars 'Bismark', '...

The preparation and applicability of solid phase microextraction (SPME) fibers coated with a sol-gel organically modified silica based on 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane and polydimethylsiloxane (APTMS/PDMS) are described here. Micrographs of the coated fibers revealed a rugous surface; the thickness of the coating was estimated to be less than 30 microm. The APTMS/PDMS fibers were tested with sy...

This study describes optimization of headspace solid phase microextraction followed by gas chromatography equipped with a flame ionization detector for toluene at trace level in spiked urine. The parameters affecting the extraction and gas chromatographic determination of analytes were studied: extraction time and temperature; desorption time and temperature; addition of NaCl; and pH, volume an...

Plants emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that play important roles in their interaction with the environment and have a major impact on atmospheric chemistry. The development of static and dynamic techniques for headspace collection of volatiles in combination with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis has significantly improved our understanding of the biosynthesis and ecology of ...

Two unidentified chlorinated volatiles X and Y were detected in headspace extracts of the fungus Geniculosporium. Their mass spectra pointed to the structures of a chlorodimethoxybenzene for X and a dichlorodimethoxybenzene for Y. The mass spectra of some constitutional isomers for X and Y were included in our databases and proved to be very similar, thus preventing a full structural assignment...

The main topic of this paper is a focus on some non-conventional tools to preserve the microbiological and physico-chemical quality of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables. The quality of fresh-cut foods is the result of a complex equilibrium involving surface microbiota, storage temperature, gas in the headspace and the use of antimicrobials. This paper proposes a short overview of some non-convent...

The determination of γ-nonalactone as one of the important odor-active compounds in freshly cooked non-scented rice is reported. It was evaluated by gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O) analysis and identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis in the headspace above the freshly cooked non-scented rice samples extracted by using a modified headspace solid-phase microextr...

Volatile compounds are responsible for the wine "bouquet", which is perceived by sniffing the headspace of a glass, and of the aroma component (palate-aroma) of the overall flavor, which is perceived on drinking. Grape aroma compounds are transferred to the wine and undergo minimal alteration during fermentation (e.g., monoterpenes and methoxypyrazines); others are precursors of aroma compounds...

Carbonyl compounds (aldehydes and ketones) are suspected to be among the chemical compounds responsible for Sick Building Syndrome and Multiple Chemical Sensitivities. A headspace gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis for these compounds was developed using derivatization of the compounds into volatile derivatives with o-(2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzyl)hydroxylamine (PFBOA). For GC...