Monitoring of odors emitted from stabilized dewatered sludge subjected to aging using proton transfer reaction–mass spectrometry

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2019-02, Vol.26 (6), p.5500-5513
• Main Authors: Byliński, Hubert, Barczak, Radosław J., Gębicki, Jacek, Namieśnik, Jacek
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aging; Air Pollutants - analysis; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Cakes; Chemical compounds; Correlation coefficient; Correlation coefficients; Dimethyl sulfide; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Environmental science; Malodorous compounds; Mass Spectrometry; Mass spectroscopy; Measurement techniques; Methanethiol; Monitoring; odor compounds; Odor thresholds; Odorants - analysis; Odors; Off odor; Olfactory thresholds; Organic chemistry; Poland; Protons; Research Article; Scientific imaging; Sewage - chemistry; Sludge; Smell; Spectroscopy; Sulfhydryl Compounds; Sulfides; Sulfur; Sulfur Compounds; Waste Disposal, Fluid; Waste Water; Waste Water Technology; Wastewater treatment; Wastewater treatment plants; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Water treatment
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-018-4041-4

One of the potential emission sources of odorous compounds from wastewater treatment plants is sludge processing. The odorous compounds released from dewatered sludge can result in odor nuisance. This study concerns the use of flux hood chamber combined with proton transfer reaction—time of flight—mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) technique for periodical monitoring of odorous compounds emitted from aged, stabilized dewatered sludge samples from 2 different wastewater treatment plants located in Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland. Based on determined concentration of the chemical compounds and olfactory threshold values, theoretical odor concentrations (known also as “odor activity value” or “odor index”) were calculated for 17 selected odorous compounds. As a result, sulfur compounds such as diethyl sulphide, dimethyl sulphide, methanethiol, and ethanethiol were estimated as the most significant chemical compounds responsible for malodorous effect (average results, e.g., methanethiol, 178 ou/m 3 ; diethyl sulphide, 184 ou/m 3 ). Based on Pearson correlation coefficient, we revealed a correlation between odorous substances emitted from aged, stabilized dewatered sludge cakes. It was revealed that stabilized dewatered sludge still possessed significant amount of odorous compounds and applied measurement technique could be used for monitoring of odor concentration level of selected malodorous compounds.