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Biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) participate in many physicochemical processes in the atmosphere. Studies indicate that some of these volatile compounds can be photo-oxidized to non-volatile species that contribute to atmospheric formation and growth of secondary organic aerosols (SOA). In this study, the applicability of dynamic solid-phase microextraction (SPME) for the sampling of atmospheric BVOCs and their oxidation products was tested. These compounds were then analysed via portable gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The measurements were performed in mid-summer 2013 at the Station for Measuring Ecosystem–Atmosphere Relations, SMEAR II in Hyytiälä, Finland. Numerous classes of compounds were efficiently sampled on PDMS/DVB coated SPME, thermally desorbed and analysed by GC–MS, including monoterpenes, their oxidation products, and amines. Results were analysed against meteorological conditions observed during the sampling campaign and the total amount of monoterpenes obtained by proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS). The comparison of the referred data with obtained results demonstrated the capability of the dynamic SPME method for fast in-situ sampling and analysis of organic gaseous compounds in the atmosphere with minimal analytical steps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Vapor pressures (subcooled liquid, p liquid) of atmospherically relevant oxidation products of β-caryophyllene (β-caryophyllene aldehyde 0.18 ± 0.03 Pa and β-nocaryophyllene aldehyde 0.17 ± 0.03 Pa), and α-pinene (pinonaldehyde 16.8 ± 0.20 Pa, cis-pinic acid 0.12 ± 0.06 Pa, and cis-pinonic acid 0.99 ± 0.19 Pa) at 298 K were obtained by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (FID) and mass spectrometric (MS) detection. The effects of stationary phase polarity and column film thickness on the vapor pressure values were investigated. Increase in stationary phase polarity provided smaller values, while increase in film thickness gave slightly higher values. Values for vapor pressure were at least two orders of magnitude lower when obtained by a method utilizing vaporization enthalpy (determined by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry) than by retention index method. Finally, the results were compared with values calculated by group contribution theory. For the β-caryophyllene oxidation products, the values measured by gas chromatography were slightly lower than those obtained by theoretical calculations. The opposite trend was observed for the α-pinene oxidation products. The methods based on gas chromatography are concluded to be highly useful for the determination of vapor pressures of semi-volatile compounds. Except for the most polar pinic and pinonic acids, differences between vapor pressure values obtained by GC–FID and GC–MS were small. Since GC–MS provides structural information simultaneously, the use of GC–MS is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Twenty one organic compounds including three monocarboxylic and ten dicarboxylic acids, four aldehydes, three polyols and one amine were determined in 61 atmospheric aerosol particle samples with different sizes (30 ± 4-nm, 40 ± 5-nm, 50 ± 5-nm and total suspended particles) collected at two sampling sites, the SMEAR II and SMEAR III stations during different seasons of the year. Non supervised pattern recognition techniques, such as hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis were used to study the influence of the collection place, the season of the year and the particle size on the concentration and behavior of the target compounds. The reliability of these results was proved using a supervised pattern recognition technique such as soft independent modeling of class analogy. The results achieved demonstrate that the chemical composition of the atmospheric aerosol particles is affected by the potential emission sources and the reactivity of the studied compounds under certain atmospheric conditions. In addition, from quantitative analysis methodologies partial least squares regression and principal component regression models were successfully used to clarify the influence of the number of nucleation events on the chemical composition of the particles. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Pressurized hot water extraction (PHWE) conditions (time, temperature, pressure) were optimized for the extraction of naringenin and other major flavonoids (dihydrokaempferol, naringin) from knotwood of aspen. Extracts were analysed by GC–FID, GC–MS, HPLC–UV and HPLC–MS. The results were compared with those obtained by Soxhlet, ultrasonic extraction and reflux in methanol. Flavonoids were most efficiently extracted with PHWE at 150°C and 220bar with 35min extraction time. Soxhlet with methanol gave slightly higher recoveries, but an extraction time of 48h was required. Naringenin concentration was highest in knotwood (1.15% dry weight) and much lower in the sapwood. PHWE proved to be cheap, fast and effective for the isolation of biofunctional flavonoids from aspen knotwood, producing higher recoveries than 24h Soxhlet extraction, sonication or 24h reflux. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Research into microbial community development and metabolism is essential to understand meat spoilage. Recent years have seen the emergence of powerful molecular techniques that are being used alongside conventional microbiology approaches. This enables more accurate studies on meat spoilage. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of packaging (under vacuum and in high oxygen atmosphere) on the development of microbial communities and metabolic activities at 6 °C by using culture-dependent (cultivation, ribotyping) and culture-independent (amplicon sequencing) methods. At the beginning of shelf life, the microbial community mostly consisted of Carnobacterium and Lactobacillus. After two weeks of storage, Lactococcus and Lactobacillus were the dominant genera under vacuum and Leuconostoc in high oxygen meat packages. This indicates that oxygen favoured the genus Leuconostoc comprising only heterofermentative species and hence potential producers of undesirable compounds. Also the number of volatile compounds, such as diacetyl, 1-octen-3-ol and hexanoic acids, was higher in high oxygen packages than under vacuum packages. The beef in high oxygen atmosphere packaging was detected as spoiled in sensory evaluation over 10 days earlier than beef under vacuum packaging. Leuconostoc gelidum , Lactococcus piscium , Lactobacillus sakei and Lactobacillus algidus were the most common species of bacteria. The results obtained from identification of the isolates using ribotyping and amplicon sequencing correlated, except for L. algidus , which was detected in both types of packaging by amplicon sequencing, but only in vacuum packaged samples using the culture-based technique. This indicates that L. algidus grew, but was not cultivable in high oxygen beef using the Nordic Committee on Food Analysis standard method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurements to clarify the chemical composition and especially the nitrogen compounds in 10nm ultrafine aerosol particles were carried out at the boreal forest site at the SMEAR II station, Hyytiälä, Finland, during spring–summer–autumn of 2010 and in spring 2011. In 2011, laser aerosol mass spectrometer (laser AMS) provided in-situ chemical composition data for 10nm particles. Laser AMS results, for samples collected in 2011, were clarified through comparison with findings for partly published 30nm and all-sized particles from filter samples analyzed by chromatographic techniques, re-analysis of the selected 30nm filter samples for quinoline identification by LC–MS and modified results from previously published atmospheric pressure interface time-of-flight mass spectrometer (APi-TOFMS) data. The chemistry of the atmosphere was found to change markedly in mid April 2011, just after snow melt: the concentrations of 35% of the laser AMS ions and compounds determined in 30nm particles from filter samples clearly increased or decreased at this time. Notably, the amount of nitrogen compounds increased and the amount of aldehydes decreased. The laser AMS results for 10nm aerosol samples demonstrated the tendency for nitrogen-containing compounds and oxygenated and non-oxygenated hydrocarbons to increase in concentration after snow melt. More detailed analysis confirmed that the two most interesting, frequently observed, and abundant laser AMS ions, m/z 143 and 185, originated from 1-(X-methylquinolin-X-yl) ethanone. According to laser AMS and APi-TOFMS data, when the quinoline concentrations in the 10nm particulate phase increased, the concentrations in the molecular clusters decreased, indicating changes in the partitioning between particle and gas phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Organic compounds in atmospheric nanoparticles have an effect on human health and the climate. The determination of these particles is challenged by the difficulty of sampling, the complexity of sample composition, and the trace-level concentrations of the compounds. Meeting the challenge requires the development of sophisticated sampling systems for size-resolved particles and the optimization of sensitive, accurate and simple analytical techniques and methods. A new sampling system is proposed where particles are charged with a bipolar charger and size-segregated with a differential mobility analyzer. This system was successfully used to sample particles from wood pyrolysis with particle sizes 30–100nm. Particles were analyzed by four techniques: comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography–time-of-flight mass spectrometry, gas chromatography–time-of-flight mass spectrometry, gas chromatography–quadrupole mass spectrometry, and aerosol mass spectrometry (aerosol MS). In the chromatographic techniques, particles were collected on a filter and analyzed off-line after sample preparation, whereas in the aerosol MS, particle analysis was performed directly from the particle source. Target compounds of the samples were polyaromatic hydrocarbons and n-alkanes. The analytical techniques were compared and their advantages and disadvantages were evaluated. The sampling system operated well and target compounds were identified in low concentrations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The majority of nitrogen (N) in boreal forest soils is bound to soil organic matter (SOM) in forms not readily available to plants. Northern boreal forest ecosystems are often N limited, despite atmospheric N deposition, and the utilization of organic N from SOM is of crucial importance to the site productivity. The effect of microbial produced oxidative SOM degrading enzymes (laccase and manganese peroxidases) and proteases on soil N forms and availability was studied in a pot experiment with or without a Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.) seedling. The combination of SOM degrading enzymes and proteases decreased the total soil N content and increased the N losses significantly in the absence of the Scots pine seedlings. The total soil N content also decreased in the presence of the Scots pine seedlings, irrespective of the enzyme treatment. Most of the other N parameters studied were not sensitive to enzyme additions, and differed only between planted and non-planted treatments. Our results show that the alkylamine content of boreal forest soil are at the same levels as nitrate. We showed that SOM decomposition, stimulated by oxidative enzyme additions, is a key step in soil organic N utilization, while proteases alone do not increase N use from SOM. Plants stimulate N losses from SOM highlighting the importance of rhizosphere processes in soil C and N cycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The aim of this study was to characterize the organic composition of ambient ultrafine particles (<50nm) in a boreal forest environment and compare the analytical results obtained by different techniques with use a data analysis software. In the chromatographic techniques, particles were collected on a filter and analyzed off-line after sample preparation, whereas in the aerosol MS, particle analysis was performed directly from the particle source. Many compounds and chemical groups were identified with a laser aerosol mass spectrometer (laser AMS) and selected organic compounds, including acids, polyols, amines and aldehydes, from 50nm filter samples were quantified. Interesting components found with the laser AMS included oxygenated and aliphatic hydrocarbons, aromatic compounds, amines, and black carbon. The amines found on laser AMS may be related to new particle formation events at particle sizes 10–25nm. Correlations between the results obtained with different instruments were clarified, and the best correlations were found between laser AMS and 50-nm size filter samples. There were no correlations between the laser AMS data and meteorological data or on-line measured gas phase compounds. The black carbon found on laser AMS had moderate correlation for levoglucosan found on all-sized filter samples. Finally, the correlation analysis revealed that the information obtained from sub-50-nm size range particles and results for particles several times higher could not be directly compared. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]