Odorous compounds of different strains of Anabaena and Nostoc (Cyanobacteria)

The odorous compounds of different strains of Anabaena and Nostoc were identified by gas chroraatography and mass spectroraetry. The Anabaena and Nostoc strains used produced different patterns of volatile substances including hydrocarbons, alcohols, aldehydes and ketones. A.oscillarioides produced high concentrations of compounds with Cg - skeletons with different substituents and unsaturations. The major compounds were oct-2-en-l-ol, oct-l-en-3-ol, octa-1,5-dien-3-ol and octa-1,trans 3, cis 5-triene. Together with numerous substances found in low concentrations, the two Nostoc strains produced acetone and butan-2-one. Anabaena PCC 7120 and A. flos-aquae produced trace amounts of different odorous compounds. Lack of nor-carotenoids such as β-ionone, β-cyclocitral and 6-methylhept-5-en-2-one is pointed out.