Using Bacteria-Derived Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) for Industrial Processes

Microbial volatiles harbour an extensive spectrum of chemical compounds. Bacteria-derived volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were studied for decades in order to uncover their role in microbial interactions and to decipher their importance in the communication with other organisms. In the frame of extensive screening approaches, various VOCs with growth inhibiting effects against pathogenic bacteria and fungi were found in the recent years. These discoveries not only have a great importance for the general scientific knowledge, but also open the way for many technological applications of those molecules. The application of the discovered bacterial volatiles in industrial decontamination processes provides new alternatives for conventional chemicals. Moreover, they might facilitate the reduction of harmful, toxic and cancerogenic chemicals and widen the toolbox for a broader spectrum of biological decontamination agents. In addition, VOCs have a great potential for microbiome management and control, and can be applied as bio-preservatives, -pesticides, and fumigants.