kaasukromatografiaolfaktometria

Kaasukromatografiaolfaktometria, often abbreviated as GC-O, is an analytical technique that combines the separation power of gas chromatography (GC) with the human sense of smell for the identification of volatile compounds. In a typical GC-O setup, the effluent from a gas chromatograph column is split. One part of the effluent is directed to a conventional detector, such as a flame ionization detector (FID) or mass spectrometer (MS), which provides quantitative and qualitative information about the separated components. The other part of the effluent is directed to a sniffing port, where a trained human assessor can smell the eluting compounds.

The assessor's role is to detect the presence of odor and, if possible, describe its quality (e.g., fruity, floral, sulfurous). By correlating the detected odor with the chromatogram and the information from the conventional detector, researchers can pinpoint specific compounds responsible for particular aromas. This is particularly valuable for analyzing complex mixtures where traditional detectors might identify numerous compounds, but not necessarily which ones contribute significantly to the overall odor profile.

GC-O is widely used in various fields, including food science, perfumery, environmental analysis, and flavor research. It is instrumental in identifying off-flavors in food products, characterizing the aroma profiles of essential oils and fragrances, and determining the source of malodors in environmental samples. The technique requires skilled assessors with a well-developed olfactory sense and the ability to consistently detect and describe odors. The subjective nature of human olfaction is a limitation, but when combined with objective chromatographic data, GC-O provides a powerful tool for understanding the sensory perception of volatile chemicals.