Olfactory impact assessment of the selected agri-food processing plant by dynamic olfactometry and computational methods

Pomiary stężenia zapachowego przeprowadzono w okresie jesiennym 2010 roku. Próbki wonnych gazów zostały pobrane podczas kampanii buraczanej z sześciu źródeł emisji zlokalizowanych na terenie wybranej cukrowni. Przy zastosowaniu olfaktometrii dynamicznej (zgodnie z normą PN-EN 13725) i metod obliczeniowych (model wskaźnikowy i model smugi korzystający z równania Pasquilla) określono zakres zapachowego oddziaływania rozpatrywanego obiektu. Stwierdzono, że ponad 99% całkowitej emisji zapachu stanowiła emisja ze źródeł punktowych (procesy saturacji i defekacji). Obliczenia wykonane za pomocą modelu wskaźnikowego wykazały, że obszarem narażonym na wpływ odorów (dla różnych prędkości wiatru) może być obszar znajdujący się do 1050 metrów od badanego obiektu. Według obliczeń przeprowadzonych z zastosowaniem modelu Pasquilla, najwyższe średnie roczne stężenie zapachu uzyskano w punkcie o współrzędnych X = 850 i Y = 950 m, i wyniosło 3,34 ouE/m3. Zgodnie z polskim projektem ustawy o „przeciwdziałaniu uciążliwości zapachowej” jako poziom odniesienia zostało ustalone stężenie zapachu równe 1 ouE/m3. W związku z tym, że na podstawie obliczeń ww. wartość została przekroczona, powinny zostać podjęte działania mające na celu ograniczenie emisji zapachów z badanej cukrowni.The measurements of odour concentrations have been conducted during the autumn season of 2010. The samples of odour gasses were collected during the beet campaign from six emission sources localised in area of the selected sugar factory. By use of dynamic olfactometry (according to the PN-EN 13725 standard) and computational methods (a indicator and plume model using the Pasquill equation) the odour range was determined. It was found that over 99% of total odour emission was the emission from the point sources (saturation and defecation processes). Performed calculations by use of the indicator model showed that the area exposed to the influence of odours (with varying wind speed values) could be area located up to 1050 meters from the investigated object. According to calculations carried out within plume model, the highest annual average odour concentration of odour were obtained at the point with coordinates X = 850 and Y = 950 m, and was amounted to 3.34 ouE/m3. According to a Polish draft of law on ‘anti-odour nuisance’as reference levels was set odour concentration equal to 1 ouE/m3. Therefore, a project aimed at reducing emissions of odours from the investigated factory should be considered

Assessing the olfactory impact of a sugar factory: A case study

Stosując metodę olfaktometrii dynamicznej oraz wykorzystując model wskaźnikowy i model Pasquilla określono zakres zapachowego oddziaływania wybranej cukrowni. Stężenie zapachu określono przy pomocy czterostanowiskowego olfaktometru dynamicznego zgodnie z normą PN-EN 13275. Na podstawie zmierzonych stężeń zapachu oraz strumieni wonnych gazów wyznaczono wartości emisji uciążliwego zapachu. Stwierdzono, że ponad 99% całkowitej emisji wonnych gazów stanowiła emisja ze źródeł punktowych. Przeprowadzone obliczenia z zastosowaniem modelu wskaźnikowego wskazały, że obszarem narażonym na oddziaływanie emitowanych zapachów (przy różnym zakresie prędkości wiatru) był cały obszar poddany badaniom modelowym. Podobne wyniki uzyskano na pod-stawie obliczeń maksymalnych stężeń zapachu przy zastosowaniu modelu Pasquilla. Wyniki obliczeń uzyskane zarówno z modelu wskaźnikowego, jak i modelu Pasquilla pozwoliły na wytypowanie źródła emisji mającego najistotniejszy udział w pogorszeniu jakości zapachowej powietrza wokół badanego zakładu przemysłowego.To determine the range of exposure to odor annoyance, use was made of dynamic olfactometry, an indicator model and the Pasquill model. Odor concentrations in the gases were measured with a dynamic olfactometer in compliance with the EN 13275 Standard. Based on the measured values of odor concentrations and gas streams, the values of odorous emissions were determined. It was found that more than 99% of total odor emission came from point sources. The results of calculations performed with the indicator model show that the entire area subjected to model investigations was exposed to odor emissions at varying degree of wind velocity. Similar results were obtained from the calculations of maximal odor concentrations when use was made of the Pasquill model. The results obtained with the indicator model, as well as those achieved with the Pasquill model, made it possible to highlight the most significant contributing source in the deterioration of air quality in the vicinity of the industrial object being examined

Application of National and European Solutions in the Assessment of Odour Air Quality in the Vicinity of Waste Facilities

Numerous methods are employed all over the world in order to assess the odour air quality, including, among others, analytical chemistry, sensory, olfactometric and sensory-instrumental methods. Basic procedures for collecting of gas samples from point and area sources, and the determination of odour concentration by dynamic olfactometry are described in the PN-EN 13725 standard: 'Air Quality. Determination of odour concentration by dynamic olfactometry’. The main purpose of the standard is to ensure the consistency of the assessment of odour emissions in the European Union. In the case when other methods (field inspections, modelling) are used and in the case of odour standards in European countries, own solutions are applied. In Poland, there is still a lack of legislation in this area. The work comprises an overview of the measurement methods used in the evaluation of the odour air quality with examples of test results, among others, for measurement and modeling of odour concentration, and field inspections for the five selected waste facilities. The possibility of applying the selected methods in olfactory impact assessments of the waste facilities in Poland is presented

The application of dynamic olfactometry in evaluating the efficiency of purifying odorous gases by biofiltration

A widely used method for reducing odor emissions into the air at municipal waste plants is biofiltration. This method allows obtaining high gaseous pollutant removal efficiency at relatively low investment and operating costs. Evaluating the efficiency of a biofilter using dynamic olfactometry is a very useful tool because it allows determining the degree of total deodorization efficiency. Determining the concentrations of individual pollutants does not always give an overall assessment of the degree of olfactory pollution by the gases being emitted, and at the same may not be sufficient in the case of evaluating the efficiency of a deodorization installation. The paper presents the results of the evaluation of biofilter efficiency performed based on olfactometric determinations. The measurements were conducted for biofilter-treated gases emitted from various sources within four municipal waste processing plants. Obtained results indicated the biofiltration efficiency between 60.8 and 97.2% and showed that after the filter bed replacing (organic instead of mineral bed) deodorization efficiency significantly increased. An important aspect of the overall evaluation was the evaluation of odor hedonic quality, due to the frequently intense natural odor of the biofilter bed itself

Preliminary Assessment of the Use of β-cyclodextrin as a Factor Affecting the Efficiency of Purifying Gases by Biofiltration

Biotechnological processes are widely used in environmental engineering. However, a common problem associated with the biological method relating to the removal of certain pollutants from the environment is low solubility in water, which significantly limits the possibility of their biodegradation or washing. Therefore, a growing interest in the application of surfactants, for instance, for the remediation of soil, is observed. Surfactants can significantly influence the removal of pollutants from the environment. Not only do they increase the solubility of hydrophobic compounds, but also aid in their leaching and increase their bioavailability. Moreover, the use of surfactants by leaching of pollutants is relatively cheap compared to the extraction with organic solvents. As in the case of bioremediation of soil, the use of surfactants could potentially affect the growth of the removal efficiency of hydrophobic pollutants from combustion gases by increasing their bioavailability. This paper presents the results of preliminary laboratory studies using β cyclodextrin in purifying of air contaminated by toluene vapors by biofiltration. In the assumed concentrations (1, 2, 3 g/dm3) the positive effect of cyclodextrin on toluene biofiltration was not observed

Application of german solutions in odour annoyance evaluation in Poland

Zgodnie z definicją WHO [20], zdrowie to nie tylko całkowity brak choroby, czy kalectwa, ale także stan pełnego, fizycznego, umysłowego i społecznego zadowolenia. Zapachy natomiast powodować mogą dyskomfort, irytację, bóle głowy, mdłości, problemy z koncentracją, brak apetytu, bezsenność czy stres [1, 11]. Dlatego też uciążliwość zapachową można zdefiniować jako szkodliwą dla zdrowia poprzez powtarzające się odczuwanie niechcianych zapachów. Pomimo przeprowadzonych badań związanych z oceną uciążliwości zapachowej Polsce nie udało się do tej pory stworzyć uregulowań prawnych dotyczących tego zagadnienia [10, 12, 14, 15]. W wielu krajach na całym świecie istnieją normy dotyczące zapachów (Niemcy, Holandia, Kanada, Australia). Funkcjonuje europejska norma EN 13725 dotycząca określenia stężenia zapachu metodą olfaktometrii dynamicznej, a także jej polska wersja PN EN 13725. Normy te dotyczą jednakże emisji odorów. Do tej pory, natomiast, nie udało się na skalę europejską wprowadzić podobnych standardów odnośnie badan imisji zapachu i jakości powietrza atmosferycznego.Poland has not managed to create regulations on the odour nuisance assessment in spite of studies related to this issue. In many countries around the world e.g. in Germany, Netherlands, Canada, Australia, there are standards relating to odours. For several years, operates the European standard EN 13725 for the determination of odour concentration by dynamic olfactometry, and its Polish version PN-EN 13725. However, these standards relate to odour emission. So far, there are no similar standards for odour in ambient air (odour imission) and air olfactory quality assessment on a European scale. The legal basis for air quality in Germany is the Act on Protection of At-mospheric Air (German BImSchG: Bundes-Immissionsschutzgesetz). According to it (§ 3 (1)) deterioration of the environment due to pollution, which, because of the nature, size and duration, can cause harm, serious injury or annoyance to the public. Only under this Act a odour nuisance as environment pollution may be viewed. Each plant obtaining licenses for the operation or control of already existing plants is obliged to assess the extent to which the possible nuisance can be considered as serious. So guidelines for "Odour in the air" were developed. In these guidelines, the methods of dealing in relation to immission odour measurement methods and requirements for air olfactory quality are presented: inter alia, the limits of recognized odours in the areas around the industrial plants. The limit values were obtained basing on carried out measurements, comparative tests of the impact and odour frequency and level assessed on the basis of surveys in accordance with VDI 3883. According to GOAA (Guideline on Odour in Ambient Air), the smell can be characterized by its type, the level of feelings - above the threshold of recognition, and through the so-called 'odour hour'. Lack of regulation and standardized terminology relating inter alia to odour measurements in the field is definitely a basic limitation when trying to apply methods of odour assessing in Poland. Therefore, there is a need to clarify the concepts of 'odour imission' (odour in ambient air) and 'survey'. The first of them allows an assessment of frequency of the odour occurrence, is also called 'field research / inspections / measurements'. However, as a 'survey' (question-naires) is defined odor nuissance assessment. The term 'field research' refers to the total assessment of odour with both the imission measurements and questionnaires. Currently, the only way to carry out research in and around a potential odour emission source is the good will of the representatives of the plant. However, the vast majority of traders fear field measurements, since the results of measurements would suggest a potential need for changes and improvements in technology of the industrial plant, which undoubtedly would impose a large financial outlay. Further restrictions apply to conduct research themselves. On one hand, the measurements do not require any complicated or expensive equipment. On the other, are indispensable to the people creating the panel, who should be trained and then perform measurements, which require financial resources. Another problem of a formal nature, is a law on the protection of per-sonal data. Impossible or difficult access to the population database of potential respondents from the area could lead to a significant reduction in the quality of research results and their lack of credibility. However, taking into account the very complex nature of the problem of odour nuisance, and particularly the influence of 'no olfactory' factors, odour evaluation process should be expanded just a survey. Thus, in this study modifications to the German methodology have been done in order to develop evaluation process of the air olfactory quality assessment. It has been concluded that the legislation related to odours should be introduced in Poland in order to improve the evaluation of the problem and finding the optimal deodoration solution

Dynamic olfactometry and modelling as methods for the assessment of odour impact of public utility objects

The methods used to the identification of odour concentrations from public utility objects, under Polish legal regulations have been presented with exemplary results of measurements by the dynamic olfactometry and model calculations. The results of the study indicate the usefulness of the dynamic olfactometry in determining odour concentrations (from point and area emission sources located in public utility objects) suitable in odour emissions calculations. Based on results of such calculations, it is possible to determine odour concentrations in the receptor points and to evaluate olfactory impact range of considered objects, taking into account all types of odour sources affecting the quality of air in the area under study. Selected methods – as an alternative to field research: measurements in the grid and in the plume – can be less time and cost consuming but also require careful planning the number of samples and proper selection of representative sampling areas, especially in the case of the area sources

Impact of Seasonal Variation of Odour Emission from Passive Area Sources on Odour Impact Range of Selected WWTP

Odour emission from Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTP) is a common cause of odour nuisance to neighbouring areas and passive area sources such as primary clarifiers or sludge thickeners are the main objects contributing to odour nuisance of WWTP. Due to the peculiar character of those sources, odour emission from them can vary significantly depending on number of factors such as pH, temperature of sewage, wind velocity, BOD or COD load. Because of that, while estimating odour impact range of passive area sources by dispersion modelling it must be taken into consideration when odour emission data has been collected. This paper focuses on determining odour impact range of WWTP primary clarifiers for two various emission cases – maximum and minimum emission determined during 7 months of study. Maximum emission was observed during summer (August) and minimum one in winter season (February).The analysed object was mechanical biological wastewater treatment with full sludge treatment designed to collect sewage from one of the major polish cities.Collection of odour samples was carried out in accordance with the methodology described in VDI 3880 and PN-EN 13725. Odour concentration measurement was made using the method of dynamic olfactometry, in accordance with the procedures described in EN: 13725 "Air Quality. Determination of odour concentration by dynamic olfactometry”. For selected emission sources model calculations were conducted using Gasussian dispersion model for neighboring areas, which are exceptionally exposed to odours. Calculations showed big differences in odor impact range for two analysed emission scenarios – odour impact range calculated using emission data from August is almost two times greater than for calculations using emission data from February

Selected Environmental and Technological Aspects of Shale Gas Exploration and Extraction

The aim of the paper is to characterize potential emissions from shale gas extraction with emphasis on carbon dioxide and methane in connects of achieving EU reduction targets. Poland is on the verge of an energy revolution due to potential exploitation of unconventional hydrocarbons, mainly shale gas. This paper assess impact of shale gas extraction in the context of European climate policy. However European Commission pressure member countries to adopt more ambitious reduction targets in recent years we can observe a slowdown in improvements to EU air quality law. Shale gas boom in USA provided low-price natural gas which has had great impact on U.S. power sector. Since 2008 many coal power plants have been closed (coal’s share of annual generation has declined from 48% to 36%) which has led to a 13% reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. Lawmakers have to consider whether shale gas extraction in Europe could have benefits in reducing GHG emissions.