GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHIC DETECTION AND STRUCTURE-ANALYSIS OF VOLATILE PHEROMONES IN INSECTS

Methods are described for obtaining gas chromatographic separations of the substances in biological samples of glands or tissues without the use of solvents. The whole tissue may be introduced into the gas chromatograph or the liquid withdrawn with a fine capillary. The technique, first applied to packed columns has been adapted to capillary columns, without using a splitter, to take advantage of the small sample size, sensitivity and increased resolution, without appreciable peak broadening compared to conventional split injection. Highly volatile substances and gases can be conveniently analysed as well as substances of higher molecular mass. On-column reactions can be carried out to learn something of the nature of the functional groups encountered. The methods have been applied to studies of the mandibular glands, poison glands and Dufour glands of a number of species of ants. © 1979.