VOC Investigation Factors in the Rainforest

Author(s): Robert Müntz

So far, numerous VOC research studies have been undertaken on orchids to gain a deeper understanding of their propagation mechanisms. Analyses can be carried out in the laboratory under ideal conditions; external influences of the ambient atmosphere can thus be excluded. For extensive field studies on the orchid population of an area, samples must be taken directly at the specimen site. As a result, VOCs in the ambient air are considered a matrix when evaluating the results. VOCs in the ambient air must be considered when evaluating the results; a display of the VOCs in a matrix is usually used for this purpose. Plant components, in particular higher molecular weight plant waxes (C 28 - C 35), are degraded by microorganisms and UV radiation and are found in the forest air as VOCs (alkanes, aldehydes, and ketones). By developing a “scentor” (scent collector) with a closed system, both the sensitivity of the detection limit and the exclusion of the surrounding scents can be achieved. Most of the VOCs found are monoterpenes, followed by sesquiterpenes and to a lesser extent terpenoids, i.e., terpene structures with functional groups. The ubiquitous components of the air (alkanes, aldehydes, and ketones) occurring in outdoor measurements originate from the microbial degradation of higher molecular weight plant waxes (C 28 - C 35) and were taken into account in the evaluation.