Odour emission capacity of wastewaters — Standardization of measurement method and application

Odorous emissions from sewer systems and wastewater treatment plants can cause serious annoyance in the vicinity. Odorants which are present in a liquid phase are emitted into ambient air at the liquid-gaseous interface. The amount and the variation of emitted mass flow of odorants is significantly influenced by the amount of odorants which are present in the liquid. Up to now, however, no measurement method was available to describe this parameter, which can be called “Odorants Emission Capacity”. The paper describes a standardized method of determining the “Odorants Emission Capacity” and shows results and consequences from several case studies where this new method was applied.