Sunday, July 24, 2011
Grand Ballroom, 5th fl (Sheraton New Orleans)
Volatile C-8 compounds produced by microorganisms can have wide ranging effects on plants and animals. Fungal VOCs and fragrance products were exposed to Arabidopsis thaliana to determine which group of compounds was more biologically active in an indoor environment. Low concentrations of five variants of 1-octen-3-ol, a common fungal volatile, were tested. Plants exposed to the C-8 compounds had low chlorophyll concentrations as compared to controls (1-octanol 43%, 2-octanol 46%, 3-octanone 40%, 1-octen-3-one 4%, 1-octen-3-ol 36%). Exposed plants had lower fresh weight: 1-octanol 66%, 2-octanol 65%, 3-octanone 58%, 1-octen-3-one 32%, and 1-octen-3-ol 53% compared to 30.36mg in the control. These compounds are readily found in nature at low concentrations which are generally considered safe. Concentrations of these compounds may be elevated indoors due to the effect of modern HVAC systems and the presence of indoor molds. Concentrations of fragrance products commonly used in American homes may be even higher. Some common fragrance products contain compounds that are suspected carcinogens and/or toxins such as formaldehyde and propane. When A. thaliana was exposed to formaldehyde, the plants exhibited partial bleaching; exposure to the same concentration of an evaporative air freshener/odor eliminator caused death. Both biogenic and commercial volatile organic compounds merit greater study to determine possible adverse effects on humans. Those that have adverse effects on the plant model system, A. thaliana, should be further tested in animal models.