Electronic nose application for detecting different odorants in source water: Possibility and scenario

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• Taste and odor (T&O) in drinking water is a significant public health concern.
• Current methods for detecting T&O compounds are often unstable and complex.
• Accurate detection of odorants like 2-methylisobornel (2-MIB) and geosmin (GSM) is crucial for water quality management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the applicability and feasibility of a portable electronic nose (PEN3) for detecting T&O compounds in source water.
• To assess the electronic nose's ability to differentiate various odorants and algae-related odors.
• To provide technical support for rapid monitoring and early warning of odor events in water management.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a portable electronic nose (PEN3) with ten heated metal sensors.
• Applied principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) for data interpretation.
• Correlated sensor responses with increasing concentrations of specific odorants and algae densities.

Main Results:

• The electronic nose successfully differentiated various T&O compounds, including 2-MIB and GSM.
• PCA and LDA effectively distinguished odors between different water samples and algae concentrations.
• Sensor responses (R6, R8, R10) showed significant positive correlations with odorant concentration and algae density.

Conclusions:

• The portable electronic nose presents a promising, stable, and less complex alternative to traditional methods for T&O detection in surface water.
• This technology can provide early warning for potential odor events, aiding water resource management.
• The study demonstrates the electronic nose's capability for rapid monitoring of odorous substances.