Volatile and semi-volatile components of jetsam ambergris

Volatile and semi-volatile compounds account for the odors, long valued in the perfumery industry, of the natural product, ambergris. Here we demonstrate application of solid phase micro extraction (SPME) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to headspace analysis of the volatiles and sem...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Wilde, Michael J., Robson, William J., Sutton, Paul A., Rowland, Steven J.
Format: Text
Language:unknown
Published: Taylor & Francis 2019
Subjects:
Online Access:https://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.8123642.v1
https://tandf.figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Volatile_and_semi-volatile_components_of_jetsam_ambergris/8123642/1
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Summary:Volatile and semi-volatile compounds account for the odors, long valued in the perfumery industry, of the natural product, ambergris. Here we demonstrate application of solid phase micro extraction (SPME) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to headspace analysis of the volatiles and semi-volatiles of jetsam ambergris. The samples collected in 2017/2018, ranged from a black, sticky material from New Zealand, likely recently ejected from a sperm whale, to a white solid found on a beach in Chile and radiocarbon-dated previously to be about 1000 years old. The traces of volatile/semi-volatile compounds extracted included, odorous γ-dihydroionone and odor-free pristane (2,6,10,14-tetramethylpentadecane), as the major constituents. The ratios of these to one another and to many other minor constituents, varied, depending on sample color and age.