The chemistry of American and African amber, copal, and resin from the genus Hymenaea

摘要

Highlights?Chemically characterized volatile composition ofHymenaearesin, copal and amber.?Data provides information about plant-insect interactions through time.?Helps classify samples from museum collections that lack age or locality data.AbstractThe comparison of the chemical composition of fossilized amber, copal, and resin is important for determining the botanic origin and original chemical composition of fossilized amber and copal, and for understanding the ecologic role of resin. Here we use solid phase microextraction–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (SPME–GC–MS) to investigate the volatile and semi-volatile composition of amber, copal and resin from Africa and the Americas, produced by trees from the genusHymenaea. We found there are four subgroups ofHymenaearesin, copal, and amber, based upon age and chemical similarity: African amber, American amber, African resin/copal (which also includes Colombian copal), and American resin