Structure-activity relationships on the odor detectability of homologous carboxylic acids by humans.

ABSTRACT: We measured concentration detection functions for the odor detectability of the homologs: formic, acetic, butyric, hexanoic, and octanoic acids. Subjects (14 ≤ n ≤ 18) comprised young (19-37 years), healthy, nonsmoker, and normosmic participants from both genders. Vapors were delivered by air dilution olfactometry, using a three-alternative forced-choice procedure against carbon-filtered air, and an ascending concentration approach. Delivered concentrations were established by gas chromatography (flame ionization detector) in parallel with testing. Group and individual olfactory functions were modeled by a sigmoid (logistic) equation from which two parameters are calculated: C, the odor detection threshold (ODT) and D, the steepness of the function. Thresholds declined with carbon chain le

SUBMITTER: Cometto-Muniz JE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2964470 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature