Centre for Surface Chemistry and Catalysis, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200F, Box 2461, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium.
Lab of Socio-Ecology & Social Evolution, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
Int J Mol Sci. 2018 Sep 17;19(9):2797. doi: 10.3390/ijms19092797.
The pharaoh ant is a notorious and hard to eradicate pest, which poses a threat in hospitals, spreading pathogens and contaminating sterile equipment. When applied on ants, zeolites adsorb part of their epicuticular wax layer. The ants are then vulnerable to desiccation, since this layer regulates water exchange. We analyzed the chemical composition of this wax layer using GC-MS (Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry). A hexane wash of foragers resulted in the identification of 53 components, four of which were not previously defined in species. Selective adsorption of specific compounds on zeolites assisted in the identification of compounds which could not be separated on the GC column and allowed for the identification of three additional compounds. Zeolites show different affinities for the wax compounds depending on pore structure and chemical composition. Selective adsorption of alkanes on zeolites is also investigated in the fields of refinery processes and catalysis. Pore mouth and key lock adsorption mechanisms and selectivity according to molecular weight and branching, investigated in these fields, are also involved in adsorption processes of epicuticular waxes. The insecticidal activity of a zeolite is related to adsorption selectivity rather than capacity. One of the best adsorbing zeolites showed limited insecticidal activity and can be considered as a non-lethal alternative for epicuticular wax sampling.
法老蚁是一种臭名昭著且难以根除的害虫，它们存在于医院中，会传播病原体并污染无菌设备。沸石涂敷在蚂蚁身上后，会吸附其部分表皮蜡层。由于这层蜡调节着水分交换，因此蚂蚁会很容易干枯。我们使用 GC-MS（气相色谱-质谱联用仪）对这层蜡的化学成分进行了分析。对觅食蚁进行正己烷清洗后，鉴定出了 53 种成分，其中有 4 种之前并未在法老蚁中定义过。沸石对特定化合物的选择性吸附有助于鉴定无法在 GC 柱上分离的化合物，并鉴定出另外 3 种化合物。沸石对蜡类化合物的亲和力取决于其孔结构和化学组成。沸石在炼油过程和催化领域对烷烃的选择性吸附也有研究。这些领域中研究的根据分子量和支链的孔口和关键锁吸附机制和选择性也涉及表皮蜡的吸附过程。沸石的杀虫活性与吸附选择性而非吸附容量有关。一种吸附效果最好的沸石表现出有限的杀虫活性，可被视为非致死性替代方案，用于采集表皮蜡。
