The Chromatography Forum

of Delaware Valley

Multidimensional odor analytics as an investigative tool

While we encounter numerous odors throughout the course of the day, the average person is largely unaware of the considerable analytical potential of such molecules. Odors are comprised of a complex array of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), typically consisting of hundreds of analytes across a wide range of chemical classes. As a result, odors have vast probative value due to the complex chemical signature that can be used to differentiate samples from one another. There are numerous chemical applications that rely on the detection and differentiation of odors. This presentation will highlight the link between scent and odor, while describing the current state-of-the-art in VOC collection and analysis using multidimensional chromatography. In particular, the technique known as comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) will be described, as well as some of our uses of this technique in past studies on forensic science, biomedical diagnosis, and natural products from the Pacific region.