TITLE:
Odour Impact Determination of a Communal Toilet: Field Measurement with Panellists Using Dynamic Plume Method and Dispersion Modelling
AUTHORS:
Kobina Afful, Sampson Oduro-Kwarteng, Eric Ofosu Antwi, Esi Awuah
KEYWORDS:
Odour, Dynamic Plume Method, Field Olfactometry
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Air Pollution,
Vol.5 No.1,
March
9,
2016
ABSTRACT: In this
study, downwind odour concentrations from a communal toilet facility were
measured by trained human receptors using the plume method over a 10 day period
from mid-May to mid-June 2015 over an approximate downwind area of 1000 m2 (about 800 m long and 30 m). Source emission measurements and extensive
meteorological data were collected along with the field odor concentration
measurements. Modelling of the measurement events at specific receptor
locations using the US EPA SCREEN3 model was compared to field odor
measurements at the same locations. The study also showed how subjectivity in
the use of the human nose in measuring odour strength could be reduced by
selecting odour inspectors using the “Standard Procedure for Testing Individual
Odour Sensitivity”. Also an odour dispersion model using the US EPA SCREEN3
model was built and simulated and the output of the simulated model compared
with the measured data. A paired t-test, t(5) = -1.29, p = 0.902 (p > 0.05),
showed that there was no statistically significant difference between simulated
model output and measured data, hence the possible of using odour dispersion
models improved operation of a communal toilet in relation to odour impact.