ODOUR POLLUTION
ODOUR POLLUTION
IMPORTANT POINTS RELATED TO ODOR
ODOROUS COMPOUNDS
SOURCES
EFFECTS
MEASUREMENTS AND LIMITATIONS
ODOUR IMPACT ASSESSMENT
ODOUR CONTROL
INTRODUCTION
It is perception of smell or in scientific terms “a
sensation resulting from the reception of stimulus by
olfactory sensory system”.
With growing population, industrialization and
urbanization, the odour problem has been assuming
objectionable proportion.
SOME FACTS ABOUT ODOUR
Substances of similar or dissimilar chemical
constitution may have similar odour.
Nature and strength of odour may change on
dilution.
Weak Odour is not perceived in presence of strong
Odour .
Odour of same strength blends to produce a
combination in which one or both may be
unrecognizable.
CONT.
Two or more odorous substances may cancel the
smell of each other.
Odour travels downwind.
Person can smell at a distance.
Many animals have keener sense of olfaction than
man.
Constant intensity of odour causes an individual to
quickly loose awareness of the sensation and only
noticed when it varies in intensity
ODOROUS COMPOUNDS:
INORGANIC COMPOUNDS :
NH3, CL2, H2S, SO2, O3
ACIDS:
ACETIC, BUTYRIC, PROPIONIC
ALCOHOL:
AMYL, BUTYL
ALDEHYDE & KETONE :
ACETALDEHYDE, FORMALDEHYDE, BUTALDEHYDE,
ACETONE
AMINES:
METHYL,DIMETHYL,TRIMETHYL, ETHYL, DIETHYL
MERCAPTION:
ALLYL, AMYL, BENZYL, ETHYL, METHYL, PHENYL,
PROPYL
SULPHIDE:
DIETHYL, DIPHENYL, DIMETHYL
ORGANIC HETEROCYCLES :
INDOLE, PYRIDINE, SKATOLE
ODOUR POLLUTION SOURCES
Odour sources can be classified as:
Point Sources: Point sources are confined to emissions
from vents, stacks and exhausts.
Area Sources: Area sources may be unconfined like swine
operations, sewage treatment plant, waste water
treatment plant, solid waste landfill, composting,
household manure spreading, etc.
Building Sources: Building sources of odour may like
from hog confinement chicken and pig sheds.
Fugitive Sources: In this source of odour, emissions are
of fugitive nature like odour emissions from soil bed or
bio-filter surface.
INDUSTRIES AND ODOUR
SR INDUSTRY ODOROUS MATERIAL
NO.
1 PULP AND MERCAPTANS
PAPER
2 TANNERIES HIDES, FLESH , HAIR
3 FERTILIZER AMMONIA , NITROGEN COMPOUND
4 PETROLIUM SULPHUR COMPOUNDS
5 CHEMICAL PHENOLS , HYDROGEN SULPHIDE ,CHLORINE
6 FOOD CANNERY WASTE , FISH , HOUSE WASTE
7 DETERGENT ANIMAL FATS
8 PHARMACE BIOLOGICAL EXTRACTS AND WASTE
UTICAL
9 GENERAL RUBBER BURNING , SOLVENT , INCINERATOR
SMOKE
Attributes of olfactory system
Intensity is the magnitude of perceived sensation
Parvasiness means change in the magnitude on
dilution/odor potential ratio/threshold dilution ratio
100ppm for acetone, 21.4 ppm for CCl4,10 for
HCl,4.68for benzene,1 ppm for acetic acid,0.47 for
SO2,0.0021 for Phenol
Quality is the characteristic of odor in terms of
familiarity of odor
Acceptability is the degree of like or dislike,
pleasurable or disagreeable
EFFECTS OF ODOUR POLLUTION
Major factors relevant to perceived odour pollution
are:
1. Offensiveness
2. Duration of exposure to odour
3. Frequency of odour occurrence
4. Tolerance and expectation of receptor
Very strong odour can result in :
nasal irritation, trigger symptoms in individuals
with breathing problems or asthma.
ODOUR MEASUREMENT
The relationship between intensity and
concentration can be expressed as:
P = K log S
Critical factors:
1. Odour free testing
2. Olfactometer calibration
3. Panelist management
Concentration is expressed in odour unit the amount
of odour necessary to contaminate 1 cu. Ft of air to
threshold level.
LIMITATIONS IN MEASUREMENT
Odour concentration is determined in odour free
environment therefore does not reflect actual
perception of odour .
In the absence of standardized procedures
concentration levels reports might reflect experience
of operator , design of olfactometer , its operational
mode , its mixing method .
ODOUR IMPACT ASSESSMENT
Using air dispersion models it is possible to predict
downwind odour concentration on basis of odour
emission rates , topography and meterological data .
Odour impact assessment is effective tool for
following:
1.Preparation of environmental management plans
2. Development of appropriate regional and local
planning and development control instruments
3. Odour regulation
ODOUR CONTROL
Modification of the process
Dilution by ventilation
Absorption
Adsorption
Odour masking
Odour counteraction
MODIFICATION OF PROCESS
In some cases a change in process either by changing
composition of process material or removal of
impurities may help in odour control .
Method include substitution of low odour solvents
for highly odorous ones , adjustment of process
variables like temperature, residence time etc.
DILUTION BY VENTILATION
Odour pollution being a function of odorant
concentration, proper well designed ventilation is
most common method for removal of odour from
enclosed space.
A method sometimes used for odour abatement
outdoors is to release odorous gases from tall stacks.
It results in normal dispersion in atmosphere and
consequent decrease in GLC below threshold level.
ABSORPTION
Absorption is applicable when odorous gases are
soluble or emulsifiable in liquid or react chemically in
a solution .
Liquid scrubbing of gases in a suitable absorption
unit is important method .
ADSORPTION
Adsorption particularly on activated carbon , has
been widely used in odour control because activated
carbon has a preferential attraction and high
retentivity for organic vapour .
The highly porous structure permits the carbon to
hold and remove organic vapours, H2S and other
odour producing substances.
The retained material may be desorbed again and can
be reactivated and used again.
ODOUR MASKING
Based on principle that when two odours are mixed
together stronger one will predominate.
A strong pleasant odour can be used to mask weak
unpleasant odour .
Following methods are used for odour masking:
1. Spraying , vapourising, atomizing the odourant
chosen , into air gas streams in stacks
2. Adding to a process where possible
3. Adding to scrubbing liquors
ODOUR COUNTERACTION
Certain pairs of odours in appropriate relative
concentration are antagonistic .
Therefore, when they are mixed together , the
intensity of each odour is diminished . This is known
as “Counteraction”.
Eg. Musk and bitter almonds; rubber and cedar wood
LAWS AND REGULATION
Australia – New South Wales
The Environmental Protection Agency of New South
Wales issued a draft policy on odour in January 2000:
The policy states a general set of odour impact criteria:
1. Ground level concentration (glc) for individual odorous
pollutants
2. Odour performance criteria for complex mixtures of
odours
• Germany focuses more on managing nutrients than on
paying specific attention to ammonia odour emissions.
CONT.
Canada
Ontario has a regulation since 1976 titled Agricultural
Code of Practice that setback distances to livestock
facilities.
Manitoba also uses a schedule of setback distances
for livestock units.
In Denmark, odour laws were established during
1950 to 1980. These laws required ventilation
chimneys and setback distances from houses.
CONT.
EUROPE FOCUSSED ON TWO AREAS OF
CONCERN:
nitrogen emission and odour prevention
The Netherlands has “extremely strict approach”
for regulation of nitrogen emission.
By 2010 farmers were asked to reduce emissions by
70% of 1980s emission . An assumption was made that
10%reduction in ammonia emission will result in 7%
odour emission.
