Analyses of volatile organic compounds from human skin

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Analytical Chemistry
• Human Physiology

Background:

• Human skin, particularly in the axillae, is known to produce odorous volatile metabolites.
• Previous research has primarily focused on the chemical structure and origin of axillary body odor.
• Non-axillary skin also harbors volatile metabolites, potentially with distinct biological origins.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively profile volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from the upper back and forearm skin.
• To quantify the variation in these VOCs across a cohort of 25 healthy individuals.
• To establish a baseline understanding of non-axillary skin volatile metabolome.

Main Methods:

• Utilized two complementary sampling techniques: solid-phase microextraction and solvent extraction.
• Employed gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) for compound identification.
• Used gas chromatography with flame photometric detection (GC-FPD) for quantitative analysis.

Main Results:

• Identified approximately 100 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the skin.
• Observed variations in VOC profiles, with some compounds correlating with subject age.
• Found generally similar VOC profiles between the upper back and forearm within individuals, but with distinct differences.

Conclusions:

• The study provides a baseline inventory of volatile compounds from non-axillary skin, originating from both endogenous and exogenous sources.
• Non-axillary skin VOC profiles are complex, exhibiting both shared compounds and quantitative/qualitative differences between body sites.
• Age-related quantitative changes in skin VOCs were observed, offering a reference for future studies on skin health and disease biomarkers.