Odor compounds released from different zones of two adjacent waste treatment facilities: Interactive influence and source identification

Abstract

An integrated approach was applied to identify the key odorants comprising emissions from different zones in two adjacent waste treatment facilities (an aerobic biological treatment plant and an anaerobic landfill site), identify their precise sources, and distinguish the interactive influences between them. Seven odor families were investigated, including alcohols, terpenes, carbonyls, aromatics, volatile fatty acids (VFAs), sulfur compounds, and ammonia. Principal components analysis, characteristic molecular ratios, and ternary diagrams were used to differentiate the interactive influence of the odor sources. Among typical biotic compounds, terpenes were found to be more suitable as odor markers for their better fingerprinting character than sulfur compounds and VFAs. Ratios of p-cymene at sampling locations related to the biological treatment plant (aerobic status) were between 0.00 and 0.25, whereas those at landfill-related sampling points (anaerobic status) were between 0.25 and 1.0. The molecular ratio of terpenes was also found to be an appropriate means to differentiate between homologous and similar odor sources such as an aerobic biological treatment plant and anaerobic landfill.Implications: The aim of this work is to identify the key odorants comprising emissions from different zones in two adjacent waste treatment facilities, identify their precise sources, and distinguish the interactive influences between them. The emission of gaseous pollutants greatly affects the living quality of nearby residents, and odor complaints are becoming a major problem. In this study we utilized various pretreatment and analytical methods to obtain integrated emission information of gaseous pollutants. The results showed terpenes were found to be more suitable as odor markers for their better fingerprinting character than sulfur compounds and VFAs.

Trace gas emissions from municipal solid waste landfills: A review

“…S8). In general, concentrations are very high (averaged concentrations ranging between 103 and 4.0⋅10 3 µg m -3 ) (Table S1 in SM), and in some cases NH3 is the most abundant trace gas (Fang et al, 2015;Lim et al, 2018). When the landfill receives sewage sludge, or has a sewage sludge treatment unit, the ambient NH3 concentration can be even higher, reaching up to 5.7⋅10 4 µg m -3 , which significantly exceeds the regulated concentration (Fang et al, 2012).…”

Odor composition analysis and odor indicator selection during sewage sludge composting

“…Odor compositions are complicated and can be divided into volatile inorganic compounds (VICs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VICs mainly refer to ammonia and hydrogen sulfide, and VOCs generally refer to sulfur organic compounds, alcohols, terpenes, carbonyls, aromatics, volatile fatty acids, alkanes, alkenes, ketones, and esters (Fang et al, 2015 ; He et al, 2012 ). The Chinese regulation “Emission Standards for Odor Pollutants” (GB4554-1993) regulates only eight odor pollutants, namely, ammonia, trimethylamine, hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan, dimethyl sulfide, dimethyl disulfide, carbon disulfide, and styrene (China Environmental Protection Agency, 1993 ).…”

Chemical and Microbiological Air Quality in a Municipal Solid Waste Landfill and Its Surroundings, in South-Eastern Romania

“…Relatively low concentrations of NH 3 from passive vents were also reported at two Chinese landfills, 1500 µg/m 3 and 10.7 µg/m 3 , respectively [32,34]. NH 3 concentrations in ambient air above landfill surfaces have been reported at several sites, ranging between 103 and 4.0 × 10 3 µg/m 3 [35,36].…”