Simple Concentration and Analysis of Volatile Compounds in Socks after Wearing Using Sorptive Media MonoTrap

Importance of the Topic

Passive sampling of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from textiles such as socks is essential for understanding odor profiles, evaluating material performance, and ensuring product quality in consumer goods. This approach provides a non-invasive, user-friendly method to concentrate trace-level volatiles immediately after product use.

Objectives and Study Overview

This technical note describes a protocol for capturing and analyzing VOCs emitted by socks worn by adult men. The study aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of the MonoTrap RGC18TD sorptive media for rapid, contamination-free extraction, followed by thermal desorption GC-MS for compound identification.

Methodology

A passive sampling procedure was conducted at 37°C for 1 hour using two MonoTrap RGC18TD devices placed in Tedlar bags with worn socks. After exposure, the traps were directly desorbed thermally and analyzed by GC-MS. The GC separation employed an InertCap Pure-WAX column (0.25 mm I.D., 30 m length, 0.25 μm film), with the oven programmed from 40°C (5 min) at 10°C/min to 250°C. Helium at 1 mL/min provided constant carrier gas flow. Thermal desorption occurred at 200°C for 5 minutes at 2 mL/min in splitless mode, with cryo-trapping at –120°C and an injector temperature of 250°C. Mass spectrometric detection scanned m/z 30–600.

Used Instrumentation

• MonoTrap RGC18TD sorptive media (no pre-conditioning required)
• GC-MS system with thermal desorption unit
• InertCap Pure-WAX capillary column
• Tedlar sampling bags

Main Results and Discussion

Twelve VOCs were detected, including aldehydes (hexanal, heptanal, octanal, nonanal, dodecanal, decanal), ketones (6-methyl-5-heptene-2-one, trans-geranylacetone, muskalactone), dichlorobenzene, propylene glycol, and benzyl salicylate. Identification relied on library matching rather than quantitative standards. The range of compounds reflects both skin-emitted volatiles and possible external contaminants. The simple protocol allowed rapid profiling of odor-relevant species with minimal sample handling.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• Rapid and contamination-free sampling without pre-conditioning
• Applicability to consumer product testing and odor evaluation
• Low equipment complexity supports routine laboratory use
• Qualitative screening enables quick identification of key volatiles

Future Trends and Potential Applications

Future developments may include integration of quantitative calibration using internal standards, extension to diverse textile materials, and coupling with automated sampling platforms for high-throughput analysis. Advances in sorptive media and cryo-trapping could further improve sensitivity and selectivity.

Conclusion

The combination of MonoTrap RGC18TD passive sampling with TD-GC-MS provides an efficient, straightforward approach for qualitative analysis of VOCs from worn textiles. This method offers reliable compound screening with minimal preparation, making it suitable for applications in quality control, material research, and consumer product development.

References

GL Sciences Inc. Technical Note GT067 Simple Concentration and Analysis of Volatile Compounds in Socks after Wearing - Using Sorptive Media MonoTrap