Can you measure a smell? A mini guide to effective odour monitoring

Environmental compliance odour monitoring is an important practice for assessing and managing odour emissions that may impact workers, neighbouring communities, and the environment. Effective odour monitoring helps organisations meet regulatory requirements, respond to community complaints, and identify sources of nuisance odours before they become significant issues.

Major Industries requiring odour monitoring

These following industries often undertake odour monitoring due to the potential release of odorous compounds:

• Waste water treatment plants
• Landfills and waste transfer stations
• Composting and organics processing facilities
• Agriculture and livestock operations
• Food and beverage manufacturing
• Mining and resource processing
• Industrial and chemical manufacturing facilities
• Oil, gas and biogas operations

Comon compounds include:

• Hydrogen Sulfide (H₂S)
• Ammonia (NH₃)
• Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
• Mercaptans and sulfur compounds
• Methane and landfill gas components

Key monitoring metrics:

• Odour Concentration (OU/m³): Measured in odour units per cubic metre and commonly determined through laboratory olfactometry.
• Hydrogen Sulfide Concentration: Often monitored in parts per billion (ppb) or parts per million (ppm) due to its low odour threshold and potential health impacts.
• Ammonia Concentration: Commonly monitored around agricultural, composting, and wastewater facilities.
• Odour Frequency: Measures how often odour events occur over a monitoring period.
• Odour Intensity: Indicates the perceived strength of an odour from weak to very strong.

Monitoring Techniques

• Spot Monitoring: Portable gas analysers and handheld sensors can be used to investigate specific complaints or identify emission sources during field inspections.
• Continuous Monitoring: Fixed monitoring stations provide real-time measurements of odorous gases and can generate alarms when concentrations exceed predefined thresholds.
• Perimeter Monitoring: Sensors are strategically located around site boundaries to assess potential impacts on neighbouring communities.
• Source Monitoring: Measurements are taken directly at process areas, lagoons, landfill cells, compost windrows, or emission points to identify and quantify odour sources.

Talk to one of our friendly team about how HydroTerra can support your odour monitoring requirements.

Contact Us