Influence of Temperature and Humidity on Aerial Propagation of Structurally Diverse Monoterpenes

Eiko Takubo; Yuki Kanazawa; Kentaro Sai

doi:10.51094/jxiv.2415

##article.authors##

Eiko Takubo THREE Holistic Research Center, ACRO Inc. https://orcid.org/0009-0000-5405-5283
Yuki Kanazawa THREE Holistic Research Center, ACRO Inc.
Kentaro Sai THREE Holistic Research Center, ACRO Inc.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51094/jxiv.2415

キーワード:

Monoterpenes、 Aerial propagation、 Temperature dependence、 Relative humidity、 Scent intensity、 Molecular structure、 Sensory perception、 Odorant molecules

抄録

Plant-derived monoterpenes are crucial biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) that significantly impact atmospheric chemistry and indoor air quality. While their emission is known to depend on environmental factors like temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH), systematic comparison across diverse molecular structures is limited. This study investigated the aerial propagation characteristics of four representative monoterpenes—classified as a hydrocarbon (limonene), alcohol (linalool), aldehyde (citral), and ester (linalyl acetate)—under five distinct T/RH conditions (10℃ to 40℃; 30% to 80% RH) using a climate-controlled chamber. Scent intensity, measured by a sensor at a fixed point (1m horizontally, 0.5m vertically from the source), was quantified over time. The results demonstrated a strong T-dependence for all components, with higher intensity and faster propagation observed at 40℃ compared to 10℃. Notably, the specific response to humidity changes varied among the compounds, with differences observed between nonpolar limonene, polar linalool and citral, and linalyl acetate with higher molecular weight. At 40 ℃, limonene peaked at an early point and started to decline, while citral kept increasing, showing higher intensity at high RH. In contrast, at 10 ℃, almost all components remained close to the baseline, with high RH having suppressive effect on limonene. We conclude that T is the primary driver of volatilization via vapor pressure, while the component-specific influence of RH is governed by molecular properties, such as polarity and molecular weight, affecting their mass transfer dynamics in the air.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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