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<p>Avian olfaction has gained prominence in recent decades for its roles in social communication and behavior. In penguins, the chemical characterization of preen oil remains limited. In this exploratory study, we characterized the volatile organic compound (VOC) profile of preen oil from Humboldt Penguins (<i>Spheniscus humboldti</i>). Preen oil from 12 captive individuals was analyzed using headspace sorptive extraction (HSSE) coupled to gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Chemometric analyses examined variation in VOC profiles by sex, age class, and breeding activity. We detected 54 compounds (20 tentatively identified), including linear alcohols, methyl ketones, carboxylic acids, saturated hydrocarbons, oxygenated and nitrogen-containing organics, prenolipids, and benzene derivatives. To our knowledge, this is the first study to apply HSSE–GC-MS to the volatile fraction of penguin preen oil. The analyses revealed VOC differences associated with sex, age class, and breeding activity in the study population. These findings suggest that VOCs in preen oil may serve as a valid matrix for future metabolomic studies, offering a noninvasive alternative for monitoring physiological status.</p>

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Volatile organic compound analysis of Humboldt Penguin (Spheniscus humboldti) preen oil: a pilot study

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年4月15日

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  • Dante E. Rojas,
  • Mitchell M. McCartney,
  • Eva Borras,
  • Michael O. Eze,
  • Abigail Pietrow,
  • Jennifer J. Valvo,
  • Cristina E. Davis

摘要

Avian olfaction has gained prominence in recent decades for its roles in social communication and behavior. In penguins, the chemical characterization of preen oil remains limited. In this exploratory study, we characterized the volatile organic compound (VOC) profile of preen oil from Humboldt Penguins (Spheniscus humboldti). Preen oil from 12 captive individuals was analyzed using headspace sorptive extraction (HSSE) coupled to gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Chemometric analyses examined variation in VOC profiles by sex, age class, and breeding activity. We detected 54 compounds (20 tentatively identified), including linear alcohols, methyl ketones, carboxylic acids, saturated hydrocarbons, oxygenated and nitrogen-containing organics, prenolipids, and benzene derivatives. To our knowledge, this is the first study to apply HSSE–GC-MS to the volatile fraction of penguin preen oil. The analyses revealed VOC differences associated with sex, age class, and breeding activity in the study population. These findings suggest that VOCs in preen oil may serve as a valid matrix for future metabolomic studies, offering a noninvasive alternative for monitoring physiological status.