Solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography direct deposition infrared spectrometry as a convenient method for the determination of volatile compounds from living organisms

Gas chromatography-direct deposition infrared spectrometry (GC-DD-IR) permits coupling of GC to IR at a level of sensitivity of routine GC-MS coupling but the presence of ice resulting from Living organisms limits the usefulness of the system. Headspace solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled to GC-DD-IR leads to a rigorous absence of water and can be applied to unknown volatiles trapped in situ in combination with SPME-GC-MS. For instance we succeeded in identification of the asparagus fly male pheromone and 1 min of an individual emission is sufficient to obtain a good LR spectrum in real time. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.