Final answer:
The method that involves the conversion of a microbe’s lipids to volatile compounds for analysis by gas chromatography is Fatty Acid Methyl Ester (FAME) analysis.
Step-by-step explanation:
The method that involves the conversion of a microbe’s lipids to volatile compounds for analysis by gas chromatography is Fatty Acid Methyl Ester (FAME) analysis, option a.
During FAME analysis, the fatty acids in the microorganisms' membranes are extracted and chemically altered to form volatile methyl esters. These volatile compounds are then analyzed using gas chromatography, which separates and detects the individual components based on their chemical properties.
This analysis is useful for identifying microorganisms based on their unique lipid profiles. The resulting gas chromatogram is compared with reference chromatograms in a database to determine the unknown microorganism.