The Conditions and Requirements Necessary for the Proper Functioning of the Olfactometric Laboratory

A characteristic feature of many chemicals, also emitted during industrial processes, is the smell, which is a matter of individual perception, depending on the individual features. Odor emission significantly influences on the quality of people life and can significantly decrease the quality of the environment. Over the world there is used several methods to assess odor air quality including analytical chemistry methods, dynamic olfactometry and static dilutions, field inspections, surveys and modeling. In Poland, the standardization document regarding to odor is the PN-EN 13725:2007 standard "Air Quality. Determination of odor concentration by dynamic olfactometry." that includes a description of the methodology of the odor concentration measuring and sets out the requirements necessary to ensure the quality of olfactometric research. In order to determine odor emissions, it is necessary to determine the odor concentration, which is expressed in European odor units per cubic meter (ouE/m3). It is the amount of odorant vaporized in a volume of 1 m3 of inert gas that at standard conditions is sensed by half of representative group exposed to odorant. Due to the nature of olfactometric research in that the main role of odor sensor fully plays human nose in Olfactometric Laboratory is particularly important to take care of the quality and precision of the measurements. It should be provided a pleasant working environment for the evaluation team and ensured the reliability of its members through appropriate incentives, training in the methodology of measurements and the applicable rules, and careful selection by the use of the certified reference material. To ensure the quality of the measurements in the Olfactometric Laboratory it is necessary to ensure measurement devices that require periodic controls and calibration. To ensure accuracy and precision criteria must be also performed compliance testing to the laboratory and inter-laboratory tests