A walk in the park – identifying healthy biomes using scent snapshots

Biogenic volatile organic compounds (bVOCs) are carbon-based secondary metabolites emitted by all kingdoms of life, often playing roles in stress protection, growth modulation, and inter-organism communication. In plants, bVOCs such as terpenes (e.g., alpha-pinene, d-limonene) are highly prevalent and have been linked to diverse health benefits including stress reduction, enhanced cognitive function, and neuroprotection. In contrast, urban environments contain anthropogenic VOCs (aVOCs) produced from vehicles and industrial activity. Examples of aVOCs such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and p-xylene (BTEX compounds) are all associated with serious health risks. Using Tenax™ filters and GCMS analysis, this study assessed the presence and relative amounts of bVOCs and aVOCs in the air across six urban greenspaces in Oxford. Sampling protocols were standardised using a self-contained sampling box (VOKSBOX), and data were processed using workflows optimised for large metabolomics-style datasets. Our methods resulted in 175 unique compounds of biological interest being identified over our six sampling sites – a significant increase from those identified in previous open-air studies. Using PCA, PLS-DA and HCA analysis we show that sites significantly and consistently separate by volatile profile, and that the spread of compounds emitted can be used to assess the potential healthiness of varied Oxford greenspaces. Target 12 of the Global Biodiversity Framework calls for expanding high-quality, health-promoting urban greenspaces. By quantifying both beneficial and harmful VOCs, our study proposes a novel, health-oriented metric for site evaluation. These findings support the integration of VOC profiling into urban planning and public health strategies to enhance the well-being of urban populations.