The allergen primin and its precursor miconidin were collected by dynamic h
eadspace technique from Primula obconica Hance and quantified and identifie
d by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-M
S). The primin concentrations in leaves/stems and flowers (including pedice
l and calyx) of P. obconica were 262 mu g and 531 mu g (g fresh plant mater
ial)(-1), respectively, whereas miconidin concentrations were 92 mu g (g fr
esh plant material)(-1) in leaves/stems and 194 mu g (g fresh plant materia
l)(-1) in flowers. The amounts of primin released from unchopped leaves/ste
ms and flowers were 65.3 ng and 18.8 ng (g fresh plant material)(-1) h(-1)
respectively. Dynamic headspace analysis of intact P. obconica plants showe
d that primin is also directly emitted from undamaged plants, although in s
maller concentrations (6.2 ng (g fresh plant material)(-1) h(-1)), whereas
miconidin was only emitted in minute amounts (less than 0.4 ng (g fresh pla
nt material)(-1) h(-1)) both from intact plants and from unchopped plant pa
rts. The possibility that primin from P. obconica could be a potential airb
orne allergen and therefore a source of airborne contact dermatitis is disc
ussed.