Mature male African and Asian elephants periodically experience a rut-like state called �musth�, involving elevated serum testosterone, swollen and draining temporal glands, urine dribbling, lowered appetite, increased aggression, and enhanced reproductive success. A series of alkan-2-ones is more abundant in secretions and excretions from musth males than in those from non-musth males (Rasmussen & Wittemyer, Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B 2002 , 269, 853). Using solid phase dynamic extraction (SPDE) and GC-MS, we have shown that these and similar alkan-2-ones, the analogous alkan-2-ols, and several aromatic compounds continue to increase in concentration exogenously in the deposited urine. We have determined that this increase is due to bacterial action. Additional urinary metabolites can be detected by 400 MHz 1H NMR spectroscopy using the WATERGATE water suppression technique.

Characterization of male elephant urine metabolites via automated solid phase dynamic extraction (spde)/gc-ms and <sup>1</sup>H nmr spectroscopy

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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Characterization of male elephant urine metabolites via automated solid phase dynamic extraction (spde)/gc-ms and 1H nmr spectroscopy

Characterization of male elephant urine metabolites via automated solid phase dynamic extraction (spde)/gc-ms and ¹H nmr spectroscopy