Chemical Analysis of Trees Infested by the Asian Longhorned Beetle R. Bruce, D. Cherla, P. Duran, J. Li, T. Rastogi, A. Sin, G. Springsted, A. Yang, D. Yerramilli, E. Yoo, A. Zozula Team Project Leader: Jeremy Stanton Team Project Assistant: Bhavik Shah
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Chemical Analysis of Trees Infested by the Asian Longhorned Beetle
Introduction to the ALB Where did it come from? Description What do they attack? How do they attack? Possible treatments for ALB infestations
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Chemical Analysis of Trees Infested by the Asian Longhorned Beetle
R. Bruce, D. Cherla, P. Duran, J. Li, T. Rastogi, A. Sin, G. Springsted, A. Yang,
D. Yerramilli, E. Yoo, A. Zozula
Team Project Leader: Jeremy StantonTeam Project Assistant: Bhavik Shah
Introduction to the ALB• Where did it come from?• Description• What do they attack?• How do they attack?• Possible treatments for ALB infestations
Why are we so concerned?
• Impact on the economy and environment
• Effort put into eradicating the infestation
• Detection and prevention
Overall Direction• We will be testing tree samples for:
Protein Content Analysis• Proteins may not be critical
to ALB• Values may not be relevant
if all trees have values above the threshold required
• Bradford reagent only reacts with certain amino acids
• Incubation time differences
Bradford reagent
• Tree samples cut, mounted, and coated
• Images recorded from core, inner, middle, and outer sections of the sample at various magnifications
• Percentage of vessel space for each tree calculated through ImageJ
• Hypothesis: Trees with small percentage of vessel space are more likely to attract the ALB
SEM Image
Scanning Electron Microscope
SEM ResultsOak Maple Pine Hackberry Willow
Total Vessel Area (µm2) 35169.5 24871.4 19143.9 14760.4 13661.5
Total Area (µm2) 90982.5 88196.5 66151.9 91285.9 79620.2
Percentage Vessel Area 38.7 28.2 28.9 16.2 17.2
• Hypothesized results:
Pine > Oak > Hackberry > Willow > Maple
• Actual results:
Oak > Pine ≈ Maple > Willow ≈ Hackberry
• Tree structure may have minimal impact on ALB selectivity
Extractives• Consist of organic and
inorganic compounds• Protect wood from decay and
pests• Boost the structural integrity
of the tree• Provide distinct colors and
odors three to five percent by weight of wood material
• Hypothesis: ALB is potentially attracted or repelled by specific extractives present
Cis-3-hexen-1-ol
Gas Chromatographic/Mass Spectrum (GCMS) Analysis
• Gas chromatography (GC) – Separates chemical mixtures by polarity and boiling
point – Non-polar solvent: cyclohexane– Polar solvent: ethyl acetate
• Mass spectrometer (MS) – identifies and quantifies the chemicals separated by
the GC based on their masses• Added anthracene as reference point
Extractives in Cyclohexane
Extractives in Ethyl Acetate
Overall Analysis• Limited number of trials• Incomplete reactions and extractions• Tree branches versus tree• Multiple factors possibly involved for host
selection– Interdependency of variables– Hierarchy of variables
Future Experiments• Work with beetles• Test variables together• Further GCMS tests, including leaf extractives• Confirm effectiveness of benzenemethanol and
dibutyl phthalate as potential repellents• Investigation of the beetle’s host preference is
complex but important to understand
Acknowledgements• Dr. Miyamoto, Drew University, Madison,
New Jersey (for his ninja-like sputtering skills)
• Dr. Fukunaga, Drew University, Madison, New Jersey (for his drugs, we needed something to get through our “headaches”)
• Michelle Yap, McNair Academic High School, Jersey City, New Jersey (for getting DEAD trees)