Sorption Behavior of 1-Methylcyclopropene on Adsorbing Agents for Use in Extending the Freshness of Postharvest Food Products

The physiochemical interactions of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) and adsorbing agents can be described using a very powerful tool, inverse gas chromatography (IGC). Sorption behavior of 1-MCP on various adsorbing agents was assessed using the profile peaks of 1-MCP at an infinite dilution concentration using the IGC technique. Chromatogram peaks of 1-MCP adsorption were not observed for the adsorbing agent activated carbon. The forms of sorption isotherms followed Henry's law, and behaved according to the binding site theory. Specific retention volume and distribution coefficients for 1-MCP on the adsorbing agents were determined at 50, 60, 70, and 80℃, respectively. Silica gel had a much higher number of binding sites for 1-MCP compared to Tenax-TA and activated clay agents. Meanwhile, activated carbon proved to be a very strong binding agent for 1-MCP based on 1-MCP efficiency experiments on the selected adsorbing agents. However, as a proper means of delivering 1-MCP molecules to fresh food products, activated carbon is not fit for the binding and release of 1-MCP gas under dry or high humidity conditions because activated carbon has a strong affinity for 1-MCP, even when treated with distilled water.