Framework for the use of odour wheels to manage odours throughout wastewater biosolids processing

A recent paper detailing research from the Odour Laboratory has been published in Science of the Total Environment.

This research outlines how odour emissions from WWTPs and biosolids are produced which may cause community discomfort. Identification of odorants in the nuisance emissions is needed to effectively mitigate this discomfort. Odour Wheels aid odour management by linking odorants with operational conditions which allow operators to identify the source of priority odours. The Biosolids Processing Odour Wheels were generated using odorant and olfactory data from a range of wastewater treatment plants. These Odour Wheels can be used by the public as an accessible guide to identify odorants.

The paper details the characterisation of odour emissions from sludge and biosolids from 8 different wastewater treatment plants using a combination of analytical and chemical analysis approaches. The data for the paper was gathered from 2012 to 2016, and involved the sniffing of many odorous emissions by many Odour Laboratory collaborators, namely Ruth Fisher, Radoslaw Barczak, James Hayes, and Xinguang Wang. We estimate that in total 1 tonne of wastewater sludge samples were analysed with over 300 hrs of sniffing being conducted using the GC-MS/O.

The paper full paper can be accessed at

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969718311124

If you would like to hear Ruth discussing the use of Odour Wheels for improving biosolids management interviewed by Ellen Fanning at Ozwater 17 follow the link below https://omny.fm/shows/australianwater/ruth-fisher-on-odour-wheels