In your reference about human volatiles it states that......

"Body fluids, contain in addition to the volatiles of interest, a mixture of inorganic compounds, high boiling organic compounds, polysacharides, proteins, nucleic acids and so on. Although some investigators have successfully employed direct injection of body fluids for GC analysis it is advantageous to first remove the volatiles from the matrix in which they are found."


This goes back to my original question as to why only the volatile EMA's were used (I already know why ) instead of all the normal components of human sweat and odor??


The following is a excerpt from

Curran AM. Rabin SI. Prada PA. Furton KG. Comparison of the volatile organic compounds present in human odor using SPME-GC/MS.[see comment]. [Comparative Study. Journal Article] Journal of Chemical Ecology. 31(7):1607-19, 2005 Jul.

in which the authors examine the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present in human odor by using headspace solid phase microextraction gas chromatography–mass spectrometry for the extraction, separation, and analysis of the collected samples. Volatile organic compounds present in the headspace above axillary sweat samples collected from different individuals showed the presence of various types of compounds including organic fatty acids, ketones, aldehydes, esters, and alcohols.

Here is an example of what they found..............why are your tests done with substances that are not consistent with normal human excretions?


Aldehydes
2-Furancarboxaldehyde
(E)-2-Nonenala,b,c
Benzaldehydec,d,e,f
Decanalb,d,g,h,i
Hexanala,b,c,f,h,j,k
Heptanalb,c,d,e,f,j,k
Nonanalb,d,e,g,h,j
Octanala,b,d,g,h
Tetradecanal
Undecanalc,h

Carboxylic acids
Dodecanoic acidc,d,e,h,l
Tetradecanoic acidd,h,i

Ketones
6,10-Dimethyl-5,9-Undecadien-2-onec,d
6-Methyl-5-hepten-2-oneb,c,d,e,g

Alcohols
2-Furanmethanold
Benzyl Alcoholc,d,m
Phenolc,d,l,m

Aliphatic/aromatic
α-Pinenef
Dodecaneb,j
Heptadecanec,d
Hexadecaned,g
Naphthalenea
Nonanec,d,j
Nonane, 1-chloro-d,e
Tetradecaned,g
Toluenec,d,e,f
Tridecane
Undecaneb,j,k

Esters
7-Hexadecenoic acid–methyl esterm
Acetic acid-phenylmethyl ester
Cyclopentanetridecanoic acid–methyl ester
Decanoic acid–methyl ester
Dodecanoic acid, 10-methyl-, methyl ester
Dodecanoic acid–methyl ester
Furancarboxylic acid–methyl ester
Hexadecanoic acid–methyl esterd
Hexanedioic acid–dimethyl esterd
Hexanoic acid–methyl ester
Methyl 9-methyltetradecanoate
Nonanoic acid–methyl esterd
Octanoic acid–methyl ester
Pentadecanoic acid–methyl ester
Propanedioic acid–dimethyl ester
Tetradecanoic acid–methyl ester
Tridecanoic acid–methyl esterd
Undecanoic acid–methyl ester

Amines/amides
Pyridined,e

aComponent of residual armpit odor (Munk et al., 2000).
bComponent of human body odor (Haze et al., 2001).
cComponent of human odor (Curran et al., 2005).
dComponent in human skin emanation (Bernier et al., 2000).
eComponent of skin emanations (Bernier et al., 2002).
fVolatile component of blood (Deng et al., 2004).
gVolatile component of the skin (Ostrovskaya et al., 2002).
hComponent of skin emanations (Bernier et al., 1999).
iComponent of fingerprint residue (Asano et al., 2002).
jComponent of human breath (Philips, 1997).
kComponent of human breath (Philips et al., 1999).
lComponent of armpit odor (Zeng et al., 1991).
mComponent of armpit odor (Zeng et al., 1996).
nComponent of fingerprint residue (Ramotowski, 2001).