Abstract

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.

Department(s)

Chemistry

Keywords and Phrases

Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS); Humboldt Penguins (Spheniscus humboldti); Preen oil; Volatile organic compound (VOC)

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

2193-7206; 2193-7192

Document Type

Article - Journal

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2026 Springer, All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Jan 2026

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Chemistry Commons

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