Comparative Analysis of Volatile Organic Compounds and Bioactive Compounds in Typical Coniferous and Broad-Leaved Tree Species

Abstract

Volatile compounds present in green plants exert a certain influence on the atmospheric environment, air quality and human physical and mental health. To provide valuable information for further studies and the improvement of the human environment, a comparative investigation of the volatile compounds and bioactive compounds present in typical coniferous and broad-leaved tree species was conducted. Headspace solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry combined with multivariate statistical analysis was employed for this purpose. By comparing the components of mass spectra with the reference database as well as by calculating RIs with the values reported in the literature, a total of 46 components were successfully identified in the leaves, which differed among leaf samples. The volatiles was assigned to five groups according to the functional group of the compound. The volatiles were mainly terpenes. Through principal component and cluster analyses, the relationship among the tree species was presented.

Key words:

• Volatile organic compounds
• multivariate statistical analysis
• coniferous and broadleaved tree species
• green environment