Nonanoic Acid (Synonyms: C9:0, Nonoic Acid, Nonylic Acid, NSC 62787, NSC 65450, NSC 65455, Pelargonic Acid)

Nonanoic acid is a medium-chain saturated fatty acid. It is a volatile compound that has been found in raw and roasted pecans.¹ Nonanoic acid inhibits mycelial growth and spore germination in the plant pathogenic fungi M. roreri and C. perniciosa in a concentration-dependent manner.² It has herbicidal activity against a variety of species, including crabgrass.^3,4 Nonanoic acid has been used as an internal standard for the quantification of free fatty acids in olive mill waste waters.⁵ Formulations containing nonanoic acid have been used in indoor and outdoor weed control and as cleansing and emulsifying agents in cosmetics.

1.Gong, Y., Kerrihard, A.L., and Pegg, R.B.Characterization of the volatile compounds in raw and roasted Georgia pecans by HS-SPME-GC-MSJ. Food Sci.83(11)2753-2760(2018) 2.Aneja, M., Gianfagna, T.J., and Hebbar, P.K.Trichoderma harzianum produces nonanoic acid, an inhibitor of spore germination and mycelial growth of two cacao pathogensPhysiol. Mol. Plant Pathol.67(6)304-307(2005) 3.Fukuda, M., Tsujino, Y., Fujimori, T., et al.Phytotoxic activity of middle-chain fatty acids I: Effects on cell constituentsPesicide Biochem. Physiol.80(3)143-150(2004) 4.Miller, T.W.Natural herbicides and amendments for organic weed controlCrop protection products for organic agriculture947174-185(2007) 5.Procida, G., and Ceccon, L.Gas chromatographic determination of free fatty acids in olive mill waste watersAnal. Chim. Acta561(1-2)103-106(2006)