Determination of volatile organic compounds. Application of SPME on natural matrices and in forensic science

We come into contact with an other object or person because we can see it/him/her, we can touch it/him/him, we can eat it, and we can smell it/him/her. Odour is one of the way we use to communicate with other organisms. Know the exact composition of the flavour of a natural matrix can be important in order to avoid sophistication and in order to know how nature communicate. The use of Solid Phase MicroExtraction (SPME) can be an useful instrument to have information about the exact composition of a flavour. Furthermore, some applications of this technique to forensic science in order to determine the presence of accelerants in fires or the presence of pollutants in the soil have been reported.Maurizio D’Auria was born in Rome. He was “researcher” at the University of Rome “La Sapienza” and then associated and full professor at the University of Basilicata, in Potenza. His main interests are focused on synthetic applications of photochemistry, the development of stereoselective processes, and in the use of SPME in the identification of VOCs in natural matrices.