Abstract: To identify and analyze puffballs from Inner Mongolia and Jilin in situ, the SEM, FTIR and pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometry(Py-GCMS) were used for the analysis of the microstructure, elemental composition, main category and chemical composition of small molecules, etc. The SEM results indicated that puffball from Inner Mongolia was Mycenastrum corium(guers.) Desv but from Jilin was Bovistella radicata(Mont.) Pat. The FTIR spectra showed that the absorptions of amide I bands of proteins of puffball from Inner Mongolia and Jilin were at 1636 cm-1 and 1654 cm-1, respectively. The second derivative FTIR spectrum of puffball from Jilin had stronger absorption at 1625 cm-1 suggesting that it contained more aromatic compounds, which was in accordance with the results of Py-GCMS that the contents of phenol and p-methylphenol from Jilin were apparently higher than those from Inner Mongolia. In addition, the Py-GCMS results showed the differences in the pyrolysis compositions and contents between two places of origin of puffballs.

Key words: scanning electron microscope, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, pyrolysis-gas chromatography mass spectrometer, puffball