VOC analysis: Release of emissions & kinetics using real-time monitoring

Characterization of emission profiles and dynamic processes

title image VOC analytics: Release of emissions & kinetics with real-time monitoring Characterization of emission profiles and dynamic processes
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Research and development of volatile organic compounds

How are aroma compounds released from foods? Which (odor) substances are formed during the processing or storage of products? Where does the smell of certain materials come from?

To find this out, we analyze volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds (VOCs and SVOCs) for sensory product optimization or to minimize harmful emissions. We observe and characterize the release of (S)VOCs from various products and materials. We tailor our analytical methods precisely to your products and individual challenges. This gives you insights into the typical compositions and patterns of (S)VOCs from various sources, such as biogenic raw materials, food and feed, plastics and consumer goods, or waste. In the healthcare and personal & home care sectors, released substances can be identified and their exposure (oral, dermal, inhalative) estimated. This provides you with crucial information about the presence or formation of chemical substances - both desirable and undesirable - and allows you to work with us in order to develop measures to avoid or promote certain substances.

Our services in the area of (S)VOC analytics

Product optimization & safety

Dynamic processes & emissions

We record (S)VOCs released in real time:

  • Quantitative, time-resolved measurements of various sample types, manufacturing systems or exhaled breath
  • Targeted and non-targeted analyses using high-resolution measurement methods
  • Inhalative exposure assessment and application of risk assessment concepts

Quality & purity

Measurements in trace concentrations

We analyze your samples using state-of-the-art analytics:

  • Highly sensitive and high-resolution mass spectrometry for detection in the ppb-ppt range
  • Pre-concentration of analytes with various sample introduction systems under controlled conditions
  • Measurement and management of air quality

Process optimization & characterization

Fingerprinting & identification of marker substances

We clarify process-determining influences:

  • Multidimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) to capture the entire VOC profile
  • Non-targeted analyses with high sensitivity and selectivity using fast spectrometric methods (PTR-MS, GC-IMS)

 

Automation & cost efficiency

High-throughput analytics

We use automation and streamline aproaches to analyze a large number of samples efficiently and accurately:

  • Automated sampling and sample introduction systems (autosampler)
  • Time-saving analysis using direct injection mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) and fast chromatographic methods (GC-IMS, Hyperfast-GC-MS)

Adaptability & realistic simulation

Customized method development

We develop individual solutions tailored to your challenges:

  • Combination of a variety of methods and systems
  • Development and construction of new measurement setups
  • Realistic investigations by measuring simulated authentic processes and product applications

We also work with you to solve complex analytical problems!

Possible applications of our services in the field of emissions analysis & dynamics

Our research methods can be applied to all raw materials and products and are used in a wide variety of product categories. Here you can get an overview of the possible applications we can offer you in the field of emission analysis & dynamics.

Food & feed

Food, luxury foods, beverages, pet food

Optimization of coffee roasting by means of sensors
© LuckyBusiness/ piranka/ iStock.com
Heimtiernahrung wird auf Laborwaage untersucht
© iStock.com / microgen

Consumption, processing and storage of food are complex, dynamic processes during which various changes occur and volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds ((S)VOCs), including odorous substances, are released. The release of (S)VOCs is influenced by the properties of the respective product/system, e.g. interactions with fats in the food matrix during consumption, temperature and humidity during the baking process, temperature and choice of microorganisms during fermentation, as well as microbiological or oxidation-, temperature- or light-induced processes during storage.
Using the latest analytical methods, we gain insights into the complex interactions under a wide range of process conditions and can therefore support you in optimizing your products and process control.

Our services in the area of food and animal feed:

  • Investigation of the in vivo release mechanisms of volatile substances during consumption in real time to optimize food matrices
  • Characterization of the aroma release of pet food in real time to optimize recipes and preparation recommendations
  • Real-time monitoring of various processes (e.g. baking process, fermentation, in vitro digestion, food spoilage) using headspace analyses under controlled conditions and possible detection of marker substances for process control
  • Characterization of (S)VOC release profiles and fingerprint analyses, even with high sample volumes, for product optimization and shelf-life monitoring
  • Linking with traditional and temporal human sensory methods and identification of odor-active compounds possible

Non-food and air quality

Consumer goods, packaging, recyclates, textiles, processing machines and equipment, indoor air quality

Plastics and recyclates
© Fraunhofer IVV
Bright morning sun in the open window through the curtains
© andreygonchar/ istockphoto.com

Dynamic processes and fingerprint analyses play a key role in the non-food sector. For example, volatile compounds can migrate through packaging materials over time or be emitted from the material itself. Emissions also play a key role indoors, as they not only cause unpleasant odors but can also be harmful to the human health. During manufacturing processes, emissions can have a detrimental effect on your products. We clarify which substances are involved and how quickly these processes take place. In collaboration with you, we develop strategies to reduce emissions and migration in order to provide you with the best possible support in optimizing and assuring the quality of your products.

Our services in the non-food sector:

  • Investigation of emission and migration processes using our controlled microchamber system, among other things (e.g. for recyclates and packaging; also possible in combination with tests for food conformity and cosmetics suitability, but also on a larger scale (e.g. interiors), even at trace levels
  • Real-time monitoring of (S)VOC release to clarify off-odors or to investigate the influence of different material compositions (e.g. surface treatments or incorporation of additives) on the emission profile
  • Monitoring of dynamic emissions (e.g. from processing machines, catalytic converters or kitchen appliances) for quality assurance and identification of marker substances, including the development of suitable sensors
  • Characterization of the cleaning efficiency of filter systems
  • Accompanying human sensory evaluation and/or identification of aroma-active substances is possible at any time

Health and personal & home care

Healthcare, medical products, food supplements, cosmetic products

Emulsion-based encapsulation: cosmetic products Personal Care
© istock.com/ anneleven
Service VOC Analytik - Health and Personal & Home Care Supplement - Capsules
© iStock.com / fotografixx

The release (emission) and human exposure to volatile compounds is of great importance in the field of health and personal & home care. Once ingested, they can have an impact on human and animal health either directly or through their metabolites or derivatives. This is reflected in the so-called volatilome, the individual signature of volatile compounds in humans, which can be measured by respiratory gas and body emission analyses. At the same time, emissions can also be desirable for product manufacturers. In the case of cosmetic products, for example, the released odors can have a positive effect on the consumer.
We examine which substances are emitted from products and materials and track their dynamic development in real time. In this way, we determine the different behavior of volatile compounds with regard to their emission rates. Together, we develop strategies to optimize the emission profile of your product and are the right partner for carrying out exposure studies.

Our services in the field of health and personal & home care:

  • Dynamic respiratory gas and body emission analyses to determine pharmacokinetics, which can elucidate the metabolic processes of dietary supplements
  • Research into endogenous or ingested volatile compounds to discover new markers and marker signatures as a basis for the development of novel diagnostic, non-invasive solutions
  • Exposure studies by various routes of uptake (dermal, inhalative, oral), e.g. to determine the uptake rate of potentially health-relevant substances from medical devices and cosmetic products
  • Determination of the biocompatibility of materials in the healthcare sector with a focus on inhalation toxicity
  • Risk assessment based on exposure to volatile compounds, e.g. in relation to occupational exposure limits
  • Linking with multisensory aspects of the product effect

 

Research projects in the field of VOC analysis

 

Project »CandyCrunch«

Developing a prediction model for consumer acceptance.

Project "Analytics of emissions"

Development of a new screening method to minimize harmful emissions in consumer goods.

Project "ABC Cancer"

Volatile organic compounds as possible biomarkers for colorectal cancer.

Project "Model-based coffee extraction"

A project to research the influence of roasting on the aroma profile of coffee.