SPME-based mobile field device for active sampling of volatiles

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Plant Physiology

Background:

• Plant volatile organic compound (VOC) profiles indicate plant health, including stress and disease.
• Traditional VOC sampling methods using enclosures are time-consuming and not suitable for high-throughput field applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a novel, easily assembled active sampling device for rapid, mobile plant VOC collection.
• To enable quantification of VOCs in field settings for precision agriculture.

Main Methods:

• Developed an active sampling device using solid phase microextraction (SPME) integrated with a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hand vacuum base.
• Established calibration curves for three key plant VOCs (α-pinene, limonene, ocimene).
• Quantified VOCs from a Meyer lemon tree in an orchard setting.

Main Results:

• The developed SPME device successfully enabled rapid and mobile collection of plant VOCs.
• Calibration curves verified device functionality for quantifying specific VOCs.
• Demonstrated the ability to measure and quantify VOCs in a real-world orchard environment.

Conclusions:

• The new active sampling device offers a cost-effective, easy-to-manufacture solution for plant VOC collection.
• Its simplicity and low cost make it suitable for preliminary diagnostics in precision agriculture.
• Facilitates high-throughput VOC sampling in field conditions, improving plant health monitoring.