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Technical Features
Outcomes from a multi-disciplinary study conducted at the Industrial Wastewater Treatment Plant of an ice-cream factory in Alicante, Spain. M Calzada, E Campos, D Zarzo, T Ransome, D Prats, M Ruiz
ABSTRACT Odour sources, dispersion and human response depend on many factors and, as a result, the determination of pollution and nuisance degree is complex. In order to study odour emission problems in Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) and their environmental impact, a comparative study of odour measurement and detection techniques was carried out. The best method for odour generation diagnosis and monitoring involves sensory methods and physico-chemical characterisation. In this paper we propose a protocol for the evaluation and effective control of odour in WWTP facilities. All this work is based on a multi-disciplinary study conducted at the Industrial Wastewater Treatment Plant (IWWTP) of the ice-cream factory “Helados Alacant” located in San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, Spain.
kinds of method was selected. The study was conducted between March 2011 and June 2012 at the IWWTP in an ice-cream factory (Helados Alacant) and its surroundings. Several odour events in the factory have caused complaints in the neighbourhood. The production of treated water is around 500m/day during the manufacturing season (peak season). The whole IWWTP is inside two deodorised adjacent buildings: process and pretreatment, dissolved air flotation (DAF), membrane bioreactor (MBR), sludge drying and storage. In the IWWTP there is an activated carbon deodorisation unit and a grid of pipes to collect the air to treat, as shown in Figure 1.
This study is part of a more ambitious R&D project, including the comparison of different technologies for odour elimination by means of different pilot plants that are currently in progress.
Several points in the IWWTP were selected for sampling on-site measurements. Odour measurements were carried out at the chosen points and in the environment. For the sensory study Nasal Ranger® (field dynamic olfactometry) was used and laboratory dynamic olfactometry on collected samples in the chosen points in the IWWTP. Several chemicalphysical methodologies such as gas chromatography, portable analysers, an electronic nose and the measurement of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were used. Since many countries, such as Spain, do not have uniform national legislation, different criteria were used such as the Dutch law (Ner, 2004), the last draft of odour regulation in Catalonia (Generalitat de Catalunya, 2010), and the FIDO protocol from Socioenginyeria (Cid-Montanes et al., 2008)). In the case of ambient air quality, Australia’s Air NEPM (National Environment Protection Measure for Ambient Air Quality) establishes standards for carbon monoxide, ozone, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, lead and particles in air.
INTRODUCTION Human activity and the natural environment itself are continuously generating odours of many kinds. Wastewater treatment can involve odour generation and can be a nuisance for the neighbourhood. In recent years the methodology of odour measurement has been improved significantly, with different techniques (McGinley & McGinley, 2000; Aitken et al., 1992). There are two main types of methodologies: olfactometry techniques (sensory methods); and instrumental compound analysis (physico-chemical methods) (Nicolai & Pohl, 2005). For this work the combined analysis of two
EXPERIMENTAL METHODOLOGY
The onus is on each level of Commonwealth, State or Territory Government to meet the ambient standards and monitor air quality. Formal governmental reporting against the Air NEPM standards have been in force since 2002.
Figure 1. General overview of the process building of the IWWTP of the ice-cream factory, Alicante (top); and (bottom) view of the process area.
Despite the existence of national ambient standards for air quality, Australia does not have national air quality emission standards. The environmental protection authorities
AUGUST 2013 WATER
ODOUR MEASUREMENT
DEVELOPMENT OF A PROTOCOL FOR ODOUR MEASUREMENT AND CHARACTERISATION IN WWTPS