Evaluation of the volatile organic profile profile generated from thermally degraded tissue: analysis by solid phase microextraction and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

Abstract

Ample research has been published regarding the effects of environmental decomposition on volatile organic profiles of tissue, however literature concerning the volatile organic profiles of thermally degraded tissue is limited in quantity and scope. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of temperature on the headspace volatile organic compounds produced by muscle, subcutaneous fat, skin, and punch biopsy samples. The majority of the compounds for each tissue type were alcohols and aldehydes. Compounds were extracted using solid phase microextraction and identified using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Compounds such as nonanal, 1-octen-3-ol, octanal, and hexanal were present in the volatile organic compound profile for many tissue types at a majority of the temperatures, particularly from 150°C to 300°C. 2-pentylfuran was the most abundant component in the profile of skin samples from 150°C to 300°C. The profile of fresh subcutaneous fat had numerous branched alkanes, while thermally degraded subcutaneous fat profiles were comprised mostly of aldehydes and alcohols. The profile of muscle was primarily composed of alcohols and aldehydes up to 300°C, whereas the most abundant compound at 350°C was trimethylpyrazine. There were consistent compounds identified among each tissue group. The abundance patterns of alcohols and aldehydes over increasing temperatures differed for each tissue type. Analysis of the data gathered in this study indicates that muscle, subcutaneous fat, and skin contribute characteristic compounds, such as alcohols and aldehydes, to the profile of the punch biopsy samples. The findings further suggest that temperature affects the volatile organic profile of tissue in terms of the compounds identified and the abundance trends of certain compounds.