芦笋尿可以用来处理汞污染
Some[46] of the volatile organic compounds responsible for the smell are:[47
][48]
methanethiol
dimethyl sulfide
dimethyl disulfide
bis(methylthio)methane
dimethyl sulfoxide
dimethyl sulfone
Subjectively, the first two are the most pungent, while the last two (sulfur
-oxidized) give a sweet aroma. A mixture of these compounds form a "
reconstituted asparagus urine" odor. This was first investigated in 1891 by
Marceli Nencki, who attributed the smell to methanethiol.[49] These
compounds originate in the asparagus as asparagusic acid and its derivatives
, as these are the only sulfur-containing compounds unique to asparagus. As
these are more present in young asparagus, this accords with the observation
that the smell is more pronounced after eating young asparagus. The
biological mechanism for the production of these compounds is less clear.[
citation needed]
The onset of the asparagus urine smell is remarkably rapid. The smell has
been reported to be detectable 15 to 30 minutes after ingestion.[50][51]