Sampling flower scent for chromatographic analysis

Abstract

The analysis of flower volatiles requires special methods for their isolation with enrichment. Living flowers show a continuous change in their volatile profile that depends on intrinsic (genetic) and external (light, temperature, hydric stress) factors. Excised flowers suffer rapid deterioration and loss of volatiles. While industrial isolation methods for flower volatiles are well established, those at the laboratory-scale experience progressive development, in the search for higher sensitivity, reproducibility, and simplicity. This review covers the flower scent sampling methods most commonly employed during the last decade, and includes comments on their strengths and limitations. The strengths of headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) for in vivo monitoring are emphasized with the examples of monitoring the circadian variation of Brugmansia suaveolens flower scent and of volatile aldehyde detection in flower scent using on-fiber derivatization.

Linalool: a review on a key odorant molecule with valuable biological properties

“…Linalool (3,7‐dimethyl‐1,6‐octadien‐3‐ol) is an acyclic monoterpene tertiary alcohol and also one of the major floral scents in nature. About 70% of the terpenoids of floral scents are represented by linalool . Because of the chiral properties of its hydroxylated third carbon, two linalool enantiomers occur in plants: (3 S )‐(+)‐linalool (coriandrol) and (3 R )‐(−)‐linalool (licareol) (Figure ).…”

Chemical characterization of floral scents in the six endemic baobab species (Adansonia sp.) of Madagascar

“…Around 100 g of newly opened flowers were macerated in a prepared hydrofluoroether solvent (3 M Novec HFE 7200) (Xu et al, 2005;Stashenko and Martinez, 2008). After two days, the solution was filtered and vacuum evaporated.…”

Pollination mode determines floral scent

“…Scent samples were captured by dynamic headspace sampling (Stashenko and Martínez, 2008) under field conditions. Flowers or inflorescences were enclosed in an oven bag (Nalophan, 20 cm  30 cm), without separation from the plant.…”

“…These plants have lower investments in male flowers and pollen, but they generally have higher investments in the production of rewards and signals for attracting pollinators (Friedman and Barrett, 2009). The most common floral rewards are nectar and pollen (Simpson and Neff, 1981), but some species offer oils and other less common nutritive resources to the pollinators (Bittrich and Amaral, 1997;Capellari et al, 2012;Steiner et al, 2011). Floral signals from entomophilous flowers serve to attract the attention of pollinators.…”