Nonanoic acid is a medium-chain saturated fatty acid. It is a volatile compound that has been found in raw and roasted pecans.¹Nonanoic acid inhibits mycelial growth and spore germination in the plant pathogenic fungiM. roreriandC. perniciosain a concentration-dependent manner.²It has herbicidal activity against a variety of species, including crabgrass.^3,4Nonanoic acid has been used as an internal standard for the quantification of free fatty acids in olive mill waste waters.⁵Formulations 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)