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There are many factors that may affect the longevity of or guide the use of canine training aids. Literature to date has mainly focused on identifying the headspace volatiles associated with training aids or odors and only minimal research exists into how different variables may alter those volatiles. The current study examines several factors affecting canine training aids: humidity, air flow, transportation, and operational deployment, using the triacetone triperoxide polymer odor capture-and-release canine training aid (TATP POCR) as the target. The TATP POCR is an absorption-based canine training aid developed to be used to safely train canines to detect the odor of the explosive TATP in operational settings. Comparisons of the TATP POCR to neat TATP are made throughout the manuscript. First, humidity increased the background components of the POCR matrix, as well as the amount of TATP recovered was above the POCR. Humidity thus affected the amount of TATP detected but did not prevent detection. Second, air flow lessened the lifetime of the TATP POCR. Third, the practice of using primary and secondary containment successfully prevented contamination, cross-contamination, and significant target loss, thereby maintaining kit integrity. Finally, the absorption of background odors from training environments was not observed. TATP headspace concentrations between a Deployed and Control POCR kit were not significantly different at time 0 (i.e., upon opening), which suggests that the operational use does not affect the function of the TATP POCR system. This information provides pivotal evidence for explosives detection canine handlers or trainers who utilize the TATP POCR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detection dogs are trained to locate a variety of substances to provide security and protection for the public and the environment, but access to substances for training is often limited. Various training aids have been created to deliver target odors as safer or more accessible alternatives to using the actual substance material, many of which are commercially available. However, the methods used to create and validate the effectiveness of these training aids are rarely reported or available to consumers, leading to uncertainty regarding their use. There has been a recent drive in the detection canine community to create standards by which to measure the manufacture and utility of canine training aids, but little progress has been made in determining how a reliable canine training aid should be developed and which analytical measurements should be utilized. While the interest in and need for an independently evaluated training aid is clear, developers typically do not release the necessary information, whether for proprietary or other reasons. Transparent analysis and procedures would allow for direct examination of training aids using objective measures, which in turn would allow canine teams to select the best tool to achieve their mission. To this end, the current manuscript provides a stepwise method for the development and validation of a novel canine training aid, using triacetone triperoxide as an example target. This method can be applied to the creation of training aids of many different target odors, such as explosives, narcotics, chemical warfare agents, or biological diseases and viruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is generally accepted in the canine detection industry that a barrier (such as a glove) should be used between a human and evidence or canine training aids in order to prevent contamination and cross‐contamination as well as protect the handler from hazardous materials. However, no studies exist evaluating this assumption. Further, there is no published literature examining the different types of gloves for their utility in handling evidence or training materials used in canine detection work. This study was the first of its kind to address these gaps in the literature. First, GloGerm™ was used as a proxy for human scent and odor(s)/particulate(s) to visualize potential contamination. Then, three types of gloves (nitrile, two layers of nitrile, latex, and polyethylene) were tested for the permeation of human scent using furfural as a proof of concept, followed by pooled human sweat. Finally, the inherent odor of each glove type was identified. Two analytical techniques were used simultaneously as static and standoff dynamic detection systems, respectively: solid‐phase microextraction–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (SPME–GC–MS) and direct analysis in real time‐mass spectrometry (DART‐MS). Using a double layer of nitrile gloves was the most effective in preventing furfural permeation from the analytical standard, while a single layer of nitrile prevented furfural from permeating from human sweat up to 2 h. Polyethylene gloves allowed the highest amount of furfural permeation but had no inherent odor detected. Headspace analysis detected two compounds for nitrile gloves and four compounds for latex gloves, but the nitrile compounds had a higher relative abundance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A widely recognized limitation in mammalian olfactory research is the lack of current methods for measuring odor availability (i.e. the quantifiable amount of odor presented and thus available for olfaction) of training or testing materials during behavioral or operational testing. This research utilized an existing technology known as Controlled Odor Mimic Permeation Systems (COMPS) to produce a reproducible, field-appropriate odor delivery method that can be analytically validated and quantified, akin to laboratory-based research methods, such as permeation devices that deliver a stable concentration of a specific chemical vapor for instrumental testing purposes. COMPS were created for 12 compounds across a range of carbon chain lengths and functional groups in such a way to produce similar permeation rates for all compounds. Using detection canines as a model, field-testing was performed to assess the efficacy of the method. Additionally headspace concentrations over time were measured as confirmation of odor availability using either externally sampled internal standard-solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (ESIS-SPME-GC-MS) or collection onto a programmable temperature vaporizing (PTV) GC inlet with MS detection. Finally, lifetime usage was considered. An efficient method for producing and measuring reliable odor availabilities across various chemical functional groups was developed, addressing a noted gap in existing literature that will advance canine and other nonhuman mammal research testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Raffaelea lauricola , a fungus causing a vascular wilt (laurel wilt) in Lauraceae trees, was introduced into the United States in the early 2000s. It has devastated forests in the Southeast and has now moved into the commercial avocado groves in southern Florida. Trained detection canines are currently one of the few successful methods for early detection of pre-symptomatic diseased trees. In order to achieve the universal and frequent training required to have successful detection canines, it is desirable to create accessible, safe, and long-lasting training aids. However, identification of odorants and compounds is limited by several factors, including both the availability of chemicals and the need to present chemicals individually and in combination to detection canines. A method for the separation and identification of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from environmental substances for the creation of such a canine training aid is presented here. Headspace solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) was used to identify the odors present in avocado trees infected with the R. lauricola phytopathogen. Twenty-eight compounds were detected using this method, with nine present in greater than 80% of samples. The majority of these compounds were not commercially available as standard reference materials, and a canine trial was designed to identify the active odors without the need of pure chemical compounds. To facilitate the creation of a canine training aid, the VOCs above R. lauricola were separated by venting a 0.53 mm ID solgel-wax gas chromatography column to the atmosphere. Ten minute fractions of the odor profile were collected on cotton gauze in glass vials and presented to the detection canines in a series of field trials. The canines alerted to the VOCs from the vials that correspond to a portion of the chromatogram containing the most volatile species from R. lauricola. This innovative fractionation and collection method can be used to develop reliable and cost effective canine training aids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This research explored olfactory generalization to similar odorants in canines • Odorants differing in carbon chains length or functional group were tested • The effect of increasing the number of odorants used in training was assessed • Generalization increased with increasing molecular similarity in both odorant groups • Experience with additional related odorants increased generalization in some cases Operationally-deployed canine detectors are often trained on one or a limited number of materials representing a single target odor, and training frequently occurs using materials of a high purity grade in controlled scenarios with minimal other background odors. Conversely, in the field, canine detectors are expected to generalize and identify variations of the target odor, while discriminating from similar extraneous or background odors. This exemplifies the balance between generalization and discrimination required for effective canine detectors. This research explored the tendency for detection canines to generalize or discriminate between similar odorants. Two groups of related odorants were used in two separate studies; (1) odorants of similar functional groups with differing carbon chains, and (2) odorants of similar carbon chain length but differing functional groups. Within each odorant set, the effect of training was addressed by incrementally increasing the number of odorants each canine was trained to detect. Initially, discrimination increased with increasing molecular dissimilarity in both odorant groups. After further training on additional related odorants, generalization increased across the set of odorants of the same carbon chain length, but there were no significant changes in either generalization or discrimination across the set of odorants of the same functional group. The results suggest that the canines in this study were more likely to generalize across compounds of the same chain length with differing functional group than across compounds of the same functional group, but differing chain lengths. Furthermore, some variation in performance between individual canines indicated that the tendency to generalize differed with experience, breed, and other factors affecting olfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]