An analytical method for the determination of aromatic compounds exhalated from hand skin has been proposed. The sampling of exhalated aromatic compounds was performed as follows: after the intake of aromatic compounds included in chewing gum or a capsule, exhalated skin gas was collected from a hand. The hand was covered with a sampling bag of poly vinyl fluoride (PVF) for 30 min. Then, the inner space of the sampling bag was sprayed with a 25% of ethanol aqueous solution. After removing the hand from the bag, the trapped solution containing skin gas was collected. The aromatic compounds in the trapped solution were extracted to the solid phase as Twister® (stir bar coated with poly dimethyl siloxane, Gerstel). Extracts were determined by gas-chromatograph mass spectrometry using a thermo desorption system and a selective ion mode. Linalool, citronellol and geraniol, which are the main components of rose essential oil, were detected from the skin of a hand after an oral intake of rose oil. The exhalated absolute amount of linalool, citronellol and geraniol increased in 30 to 60 min, and then decreased after intake. The recoveries of linalool, citronellol and geraniol were 53.5%, 66.7% and 55.1%, respectively. The correlation coefficient of the standard curves for linalool, citronellol and geraniol were 0.9977, 0.9994 and 0.9987, respectively. Each compound exahalated from the skin of a human body during 6 hours after intake was estimated to be, according to the amount of intake, 0.39%, 0.09% and 0.25%, respectively, for one subject. The absolute amount of geraniol exhalated from a hand increased significantly after oral intake for 8 subjects (P<0.025). This is the first report to present hard proof that an aromatic compound was exhalated from human skin after its intake as food.
