Investigation of headspace SPME methodologies coupled with GC-MS for analysis of floral volatile organic compounds

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) play an important role in the chemical ecology of plants, principally influencing pollinator interactions, defense, and communication. The VOCs produced by flowers are known to be an evolved characteristic that serve to attract specific pollinators. As the aromatic profiles of many flowers remain under-described, head space solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled with gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) has established itself as the standard for extraction and analysis of VOCs. In this study, HS-SPME with GC-MS is used to investigate how petal conditions affect volatile emissions, the hold time of the PDMS fiber, and a potential novel field methodology. It was determined that VOC extraction was most effective in petal samples stored on ice for 3-6 hours. With petals being stored in the fridge for 24+ hours as a viable alternative method, and fresh samples underperforming. The PDMS fiber analyte retention was investigated for periods up to 24+ hours, with a further increase in analyte holding when capped with aluminum foil. Moreover, the study presents a field-deployable method for floral VOC sampling as a streamlined alternative that may alleviate poaching and overharvesting of plant species. The findings suggest several strategies to enhance and expand floral volatile research, with potential for further development and application in non-damaging volatile testing of endangered plant species.