Development of an Environmental Odour Nuisance Measurement Instrument Utilizing the Panel Method

Abstract Environmental odour is a significant element of air nuisance that can disrupt human well-being by irritating the nasal passages and negatively impacting their quality of life. The objective of the project is to develop an environmental odour nuisance measuring instrument utilizing the panel method. The measurement of environmental odour level was conducted using a survey or panel approach as well as by utilizing a smart sensor gas monitor to assess the NH3 and H2S gas concentrations. The odour nuisance measuring equipment was designed to facilitate the panelists in obtaining accurate odour impressions. The wind speed variations on the tool were categorized into three repetitions, i.e. the first repetition had a wind speed of 0 m/sec, the second repetition had a wind speed of 1 m/sec, whereas the third repetition had a wind speed of 2 m/sec. The panelists were categorized based on two factors, i.e. gender and age. A series of odour level measurements were conducted over a span of 5 consecutive days, using 5 distinct types of odour sources. The odour impression scores, ranked from the lowest to highest, are as follows: adult age category with an average score of - 2.6, female gender category with an average score of -2.4, school age children category with an average score of -2.3, and male gender category with an average score of -2.2. The highest NH3 and H2S gas concentrations detected by smart sensor gas monitor were 15 and 25.5 ppm in the third repetitions. The odor impression assessment of the four categories of panelists had no significant difference with a P-value > 0.05. The hedonism scale and odor gas concentration had a high correlation with R2 > 0.8.