Spatial distribution of odorous compounds in an enclosed waste mechanical biological treatment plant

The concentrations and species profiles of gaseous pollutants emitted from a municipal solid waste (MSW) treatment plant were investigated to identify the major odorous substances. Three methods were used to measure different gaseous pollutants in this study, including gas-chromatography with mass spectrometry/flame ionization detection/pulsed flame photometric detection (GC - MS /FID/PFPD) preceded by cold trap concentration, GC-FID preceded by sorbent concentration, and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) after derivation by 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH). Seventy-five gaseous compounds belonging to nine groups (nitrogen compounds, sulfur compounds, alkanes, alkenes, aromatics, terpenes, alcohols, carbonyls, and volatile fatty acids (VFAs)) were identified. The major odour compounds in the plant were acetic acid, butyric acid, valeric acid, isovaleric acid and dimethyl sulfide