Odour emission ability (OEA) and its application in assessing odour removal efficiency

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Odourous emissions from sewer networks and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) negatively impact local populations.
• Traditional sampling methods (wind tunnels, flux hood chambers) are inadequate for liquid samples from point sources due to large volume requirements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a gas phase sample preparation method for assessing total Odour Emission Ability (OEA) from liquid samples.
• To provide a method suitable for point source odour assessment, overcoming limitations of traditional techniques.

Main Methods:

• A novel gas phase sample preparation method was developed.
• The method was validated using volatile organic sulphur compounds (VOSCs) like dimethyl-trisulphide (DMTS) and bismethylthiomethane (BMTM).
• Recovery rates were quantified using static and dynamic injection methodologies into Tedlar bags at ambient conditions.

Main Results:

• Both static and dynamic injection methods achieved high recovery rates for DMTS and BMTM at ambient temperature.
• No need to increase temperature for enhanced evaporation was confirmed.
• The method demonstrated effectiveness in assessing odour removal efficiency of liquids.

Conclusions:

• The developed gas phase method provides an effective means to assess the total Odour Emission Ability (OEA) from liquid samples.
• This technique is suitable for point sources in sewer networks and WWTPs.
• The method can be applied to evaluate the effectiveness of odour treatment processes.