Making Sense of SmellsA Guide for Understanding Farmstead Odors
Part 6: Simulated Olfactometry Exercise
Douglas W. HamiltonWaste Management SpecialistBiosystems and Agricultural Engineering
Odor Measurement
How Strong?
How Bad?
Intensity
Offensiveness
Sniff Test
#1 #2 #3 #4
How Strong?
How Bad?
Sniff Test
#1 #2 #3 #4
How Strong?
How Bad?
IntensityScale = 0 to 6
Sniff Test
#1 #2 #3 #4
How Strong?
How Bad?
IntensityScale = 0 to 6
OffensivenessScale = 0 to 6
Sample 1
How Strong? _____
How Bad? ______
Intensity Scale
0 = no odor
1 = very faint
2 = faint
3 = distinct
4 = strong
5 = very strong
6 = extremely strong
Offensiveness Scale
0 = Inoffensive
1 = Very faintly Offensive
2 = Faintly Offensive
3 = Definitely Offensive
4 = Strongly Offensive
5 = Very Strongly Offensive
6 = Extremely Offensive
Two Assumptions
1. Responses are predictable, but show variability within a population
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Offensiveness
Nu
mb
er o
f R
esp
on
ses
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Offensiveness
Nu
mb
er o
f R
esp
on
ses
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Offensiveness
Nu
mb
er o
f R
esp
on
ses
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Intensity
Off
ensi
ven
ess
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Intensity
Off
ensi
ven
ess
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Intensity
Off
ensi
ven
ess
Two Assumptions
1. Responses are predictable, but show variability within a population
2. Intensity and Offensiveness are independent measurements