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Using a specially developed breath collection technique and computer-assisted gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), we have identified in the exhaled air of lung cancer patients several volatile organic compounds that appear to be associated with the disease. The GC/MS profiles of 12 samples from lung cancer patients and 17 control samples were analyzed by using general computerized statistical procedures to distinguish lung cancer patients from controls. The selected volatile compounds had sufficient diagnostic power in the GC/MS profiles to allow almost complete differentiation between the two groups in a limited patient population.

Gas-chromatographic odor-assay techniques have been used to study vaginal odors. An improved version of this technique was applied to compare the efficacy of a suppository containing phenylmercuric acetate, a feminine douche preparation, and a conventional vinegar douche in reducing the concentrations of malodorants in the vaginal vapors of ten normal women. Seven malodorants occurred frequently in vaginal vapors; seven more were noted less frequently, and additional ones occurred occasionally. A reduction in the malodorant concentrations was observed with all treatments, but this effect reached acceptable statistical probability levels,p

Recent work suggests that short-chain aliphatic acids in vaginal secretions may play a role of pheromones in primates, including humans. An experiment was conducted with 3 women to determmine the odor composition of vaginal secretions before and after coitus. Prior to coitus they refrained from sexual activities for 48 hours, did not use a vaginal douche for 7 days, did not bathe or shower for 24 hours, and did not use vaginal hygiene preparations for 72 hours. Samples of vaginal secretions were taken at 9:00 A.M., 1:00 P.M., and 5:00 P.M. on the day before coitus. After coitus at 7:00 A.M., samples were again taken from each subject at the same hours as before. A condom was used in 1 coitus to prevent male secretions and seminal fluids from entering vaginal secretions. The GC/sensory assay (odorogram) was used and odor description notes made. The survey indicated that 13 odorous compounds occurred regularly. It was noted that components with acidic odor tended to appear at lower retention rates in postcoital samples. The chemistry of these compounds was not investigated. It is concluded that differences exist in the odors of pre- and postcoital vaginal secretions. The biological relevance of these differences was unresolved. The question of the pheromonic significance of vaginal odors in humans remains undetermined.

Gas-chromatography analysis of 90 samples of vaginal secretions from 10 women revealed that at any given sample time the perceptible vaginal odor of each individual women was composed of numerous separate odorous effluents. Almost 2,1000 odoriferous effluents were observed. This corresponded to 16% of all recorded peaks on the 90 gas-chromatograms. The odorous effluents were assigned 34 characteristic odors in three hedonic categories (neutral, pleasant and unpleasant). This information supports the contention that the olfactory signature of an individual is complex, highly individual and composed of many "mini odors".

Modern and ancient human feces (coprolites) and modern nonhuman animal fecal samples were subjected to headspace gas-chromatographic analysis for detection of odors related to dietary intake. The odors of grass, green leaves, licorice, meat, and corn were detected in coprolites dating to 6400 years BP (before present). Analysis of modern human samples revealed a large number of odors reflecting dietary constituents. The complexity and number of fecal dietary odors recovered was directly related to the number of food items ingested. Animal fecal odorgrams were characterized by a relatively large number of pleasant odors. Fecal odorgrams represent a new method by which modern and ancient diets may be partially reconstructed.

Using a specially developed breath collection technique and computer-assisted gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), we have identified in the exhaled air of lung cancer patients several volatile organic compounds that appear to be associated with the disease. The GC/MS profiles of 12 samples from lung cancer patients and 17 control samples were analyzed by using general computerized statistical procedures to distinguish lung cancer patients from controls. The selected volatile compounds had sufficient diagnostic power in the GC/MS profiles to allow almost complete differentiation between the two groups in a limited patient population.

The investigation was initiated to study human airborne chemical signatures. A novel apparatus was designed and constructed with inner surfaces of glass and Teflon to permit close control of experimental environment and to monitor humidity and oxygen content. An efficient signature collection system was developed, and techniques of sample acquisition and gas chromatographic analysis were established. The results of signature collection experiments performed on selected human subjects revealed several important features. Seven signature components were found to be common to white, Negro, and Indian males and a white female. It is probable that ethanol, butanol, acetone, and pyruvic and lactic acids are among the common components. Other compounds were found to be common to selected pairs of subjects compared. Some components were characteristic only of a certain individual among those studied and either do not occur in others or exist below the detection limits. Chemical signatures from the same white male individual obtained 14 days apart exhibited large similarities. Less significant similarities were observed between the latter signatures and those from other subjects.