Thiols And Underarm Odour

 

                                                            The Chemistry Of Body Odour 

                                                                        Thiol

Human sweat contains (3-methyl-3-sulfanylhexan-1-ol) detectable at 2 parts per billion and having a fruity, onion -like odor. 

University Of York

Scientific Reports, the York scientists describe how they delved inside Staphylococcus hominis to learn how it made thioalcohols. They discovered an enzyme that converts Cys-Gly-3M3SH released by apocrine glands into the pungent thioalcohol, 3M3SH.

 A specific thiol (3-methyl-3-sulfanylhexan-1-ol) and a specific acid (3-hydroxy-3-mehylhexanoic acid) have been identified as the major components of human sweat malodor, both arising from the action of bacteria on protein metabolites secreted by sweat glands.

 Interestingly, women liberate more of the onion-like acid than men, likely due to gender differences in bacterial composition.

                                                              Snapshot 

Our noses are extremely good at detecting these thioalcohols at extremely low thresholds, which is why they are really important for body odour. They have a very characteristic cheesy, oniony smell that you would recognise