BIO

Vinaya Mapitiyage, a second-year student at Florida State University, originally from Sri Lanka and raised in Daytona Beach, Florida, is deeply passionate about the human brain. As a Cell and Molecular Neuroscience major, Vinaya is driven by her ambition to attend medical school and one day specialize in combat medicine. Her desire to serve and heal in challenging environments motivates her academic pursuits and research interests. Vinaya's curiosity currently extends to the topic of sense and perception, particularly olfaction; hence why she joined the Dewan Lab in Spring of 2023 and has been grateful for the mentorship and knowledge she has gained since joining.
Outside of academia, Vinaya enjoys exploring nature, and engaging in stimulating conversations. With a genuine love for the complexities of neuroscience, Vinaya is excited to explore the field of neuroscience.

Measuring the Relationship Between Liquid and Vapor Phase Concentrations for Esters Diluted in Mineral Oil Using a Photoionization Detection-Based Approach

Abstract

Esters, such as ethyl tiglate and methyl butyrate, are colorless liquids known for their sweet, fruit-like aroma, frequently employed as olfactory stimuli in investigations of odor perception and neural coding. Manipulating vapor-phase concentrations often involves utilizing liquid dilutions, yet the relationship between liquid dilution and vapor concentration varies depending on the specific odor/solvent combination and can diverge significantly from predictions based on ideal gas laws. Consequently, predicting the relationship between liquid dilution and vapor-phase concentration necessitates empirical determination. The goal of my study was to meticulously assess the relationship between liquid and vapor-phase concentrations of various esters, including ethyl butyrate, ethyl tiglate, sec-butyl acetate, tert-butyl acetate, and methyl-2-furoate, employing a photoionization detector (PID)-based approach. To achieve this, I utilized a meticulously designed olfactometer capable of delivering volatiles from diverse liquid dilutions (ranging from 0.01% in mineral oil to pure odorant) to the PID. Within the PID sensor, volatile molecules underwent ionization upon exposure to intense ultraviolet light, generating a current proportional to the vapor phase concentration of the odorant. This process allowed me to acquire comprehensive data, which were subsequently analyzed and fit with a power function to derive liquid-/vapor-phase equilibrium equations. These equations provide crucial tools for olfactory researchers seeking more accurate representations of vapor-phase odorant concentrations utilized in their experiments. My study hopes to offer valuable insights into the intricate relationship between liquid and vapor-phase concentrations of ester acetates, contributing to the refinement of olfactory research methodologies and enhancing our understanding of odor perception.

Keywords: olfaction, PID, esters, ester acetates, odorants