WASTEWATER ODOR - BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Odor control has always presented one of the most challenging problems facing the wastewater industry. The nuisance caused by organic odor produced by the wastewater stream is a quickly growing concern for industries, municipalities and communities. These organic odors are not only a nuisance, but can also pose serious health hazards due to the toxicity of some organic odors such as hydrogen sulfide, mercaptans and ammonia.
The concentration of the various odor compounds is dependent upon several factors such as temperature, weather conditions, wind flow direction, microorganism count, organic loadings and residence time in process. There are many current odor control products available, but they all fall short in one of two areas. Either they act merely as deodorizers by masking odors without addressing the cause of the odor or they eliminate the odorous gases by using hazardous compounds. |
