Testing procedure for performance evaluation of electronic noses for environmental odour monitoring

Electronic noses capability to simulate human olfaction makes these instruments perfect for direct characterization of odours directly where their presence is lamented. However, the lack of regulation about instrument minimum requirements and standardization limits their widespread diffusion for the determination of the odour impact relevant to a specific industrial activity. This paper aims to propose a testing procedure for verification of electronic nose performance in environmental monitoring. In order to test instrument capability of detecting odour presence, specific tests were defined and carried out to determine instrument lower detection limit towards common environmental odours and the repeatability of responses to a given stimulus