making sense of smells – communicating odors to diverse audiences - part 1

Making Sense of SmellsDiscussing Odors with Diverse Audiences

Douglas W. HamiltonWaste Management SpecialistBiosystems and Agricultural Engineering

http://osuwastemanage.bae.okstate.edu/

www.extension.org/pages/33088/odors-from-livestock-farms-curriculum-materials

Odors need not be so mysterious …

1. They have structure

2. They are measurable

Rose de Grasse is characterized by a honey note, resembling very slightly a delicate peppery note, shading off into a light tonality of natural carnation … it is possible to perceive a slightly green odor …

Billot, M. and F.V. Wells. Perfumery Technology:Art, Science, Industry. New York:John Wiley.

Perfume Structure

Perfume Fragrances are mixtures of Notes

Rose de Grasse is characterized by a honey note, resembling very slightly a delicate peppery note, shading off into a light tonality of natural carnation … it is possible to perceive a slightly green odor …

Billot, M. and F.V. Wells. Perfumery Technology:Art, Science, Industry. New York:John Wiley.

Perfume Structure


Notes are mixtures of Odorants

Hyacinth Green Base No. 10HydroxycitonellelPhenylethyl acetatePhenylethyl alcoholisoEugenolCinnamic alcoholPhenylacetaldehydePhenylacetaldehyde dimethyl acetalFolialBenzyl acetatePhenylethyl formateTerpineolRhodiniolalpha-Amaylcinnamic aldehydeParacetoneDimethyl phthalate

Perfume Structure



Odorants are individual Chemicals


Farmstead Odors are mixtures of Notes


Notes are groups of Odorants



Odor Structure

Farmstead Odorant Groups

Organic AcidsAcetic Acid

Propionic Acid

Butanoic Acid

Iso-Valeric Acid

Pentanoic Acid

Alcohols, Aldehydes, KetonesMethanol

Formaldehyde

Acetone

Methyl Ethyl Ketone

Nitrogen CompoundsAmmonia

Methyl amine

Dimethyl amine

Diethyl amine

Indole

Skatole

Phenolic CompoundsPhenol

p-Cresol

Sulfuric CompoundsHydrogen Sulfide

Methyl mercaptan

Dimethyl sulfide

Diethyl sulfide



2. They are measurable

Odor Measurement

How does it smell?

How Long?

How Much?

How Strong?

Odor Measurement

How does it smell?

How Long?

How Much?

How Strong?

Character

Odor Measurement

How does it smell?

How Long?

How Much?

How Strong?

Character

Persistence

Odor Measurement

How does it smell?

How Long?

How Much?

How Strong?

Character

Persistence

Concentration

Odor Measurement

How does it smell?

How Long?

How Much?

How Strong?

Character

Persistence

Concentration

Intensity

Notes Odors

Character

Persistence

Concentration

Intensity

Measuring Notes and Odors

Notes Odors

Character Verbal Description

Persistence

Concentration

Intensity


Character

Organic AcidsAcetic Acid

Propionic Acid

Butanoic Acid

Iso-Valeric Acid

Pentanoic Acid

Alcohols, Aldehydes, KetonesMethanol

Formaldehyde

Acetone

Methyl Ethyl Ketone

Nitrogen CompoundsAmmonia

Methyl amine

Dimethyl amine

Diethyl amine

Indole

Skatole

Phenolic CompoundsPhenol

p-Cresol

Sulfuric CompoundsHydrogen Sulfide

Methyl mercaptan

Dimethyl sulfide

Diethyl sulfide

Notes Odors


Persistence Odor Chord

Concentration

Intensity


Notes Odors


Persistence Top Note

Middle Note

Base Note

Odor Chord

Concentration

Intensity


Persistence

Top Notes Middle Notes Base NotesHydrogen Sulfide

Ammonia

Aldehydes

Alcohols

Ketones

Amines

Mercaptans

Short Organic Sulfides

Organic Acids

Phenolic Compounds

Indole

Skatole

Long Organic Sulfides

Notes Odors



Middle Note

Base Note

Odor Chord

Concentration Detection Level

Recognition Level

Intensity


NH3 Recognition Level = 37,000 ppb

NH3 Detection Level = 17 ppb

NH3 Acute Hazard = 50,000 to 100,000 ppb

NH3 Chronic Exposure = 25,000 ppb

Notes Odors



Middle Note

Base Note

Odor Chord


Recognition LevelOU

Intensity

Measuring Farmstead Odors

Olfactometry

www2.dpi.qld.gov.au/environment

Olfactometry

Choosing presidents and measuringodors are very similar processes.

OPINIONS ARE IMPORTANTAND THE MAJORITY RULES.

Olfactory Panel

www2.dpi.qld.gov.au/environment

Olfactometers

www.aromajet.com

St Croix Sensory

www.rka-inc.com

www.research-in-germany.de

Olfactometer

www.med-associates.com

www.med-associates.com

www.coleparmer.com

1/1,000

1/2,000

1/4,000

1/8,000

1/16,000

1/32,000

1/16,000

1OU = dilution to threshold

1OU = 1/16,000

OU = 16,000

Dispersion Modeling

www.air-dispersion-model.com

www.odotech.com

Notes Odors



Middle Note

Base Note

Odor Chord


Recognition LevelOU

Intensity Intensity


Two Methods for Intensity

1. Referencing Suprathreshold

2. Descriptive Category Scale

Odors are compared to standards of known intensity

using dilutions of 1-Butanol

CH3CH2CH2OH

Referencing Suprathreshold Odor Intensity

Port

1 2 3 45 6 7 8

www.rka-inc.com

Purdue Agricultural Air Quality Laboratory


Port vol/vol 1-butanol ppm

1 122 243 484 965 1946 3887 7758 1,550

www.rka-inc.com


Descriptive Scale Odor Intensity

Panel rates Intensity on a scale independent of

an external standard

www.library.thinkquest.org

Intensity vs Concentration

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 10 100 1000

Odor Concentration (OU)

Od

or

Inte

nsi

ty

Measured Swine Odor Relationship

6 = Extremely strong5 = Very Strong4 = Strong3 = Distinct2 = Faint1 = Very Faint0 = No Odor

Misselbrook, et al. 1993

Measured Odor Relationships

6 = Extremely strong5 = Very Strong4 = Strong3 = Distinct2 = Faint1 = Very Faint0 = No Odor

Misselbrook et al, 1993

Notes Odors

Character Verbal Description Offensiveness


Middle Note

Base Note

Odor Chord


Recognition Level

OU

Intensity Intensity


Offensiveness by Olfactometry

1. Equal Intensity samples are presented to panel.

Offensiveness by Olfactometry

1. Equal Intensity samples are presented to panel

2. Panel rates offensiveness on a descriptive scale.

www.library.thinkquest.org

Offensiveness vs Concentration

Offensiveness is an Intrinsic Property of an Odor

A odor will be equally offensive, no matter how strong.

Experimental Hypothesis

A odor will be equally offensive, no matter how strong.

Sample 1

How Strong? _____

How Pleasant? ______

Sniff Test

A B C D

How Strong?

How Pleasant?

IntensityScale = 0 to 6

Intensity Scale

0 = no odor

1 = very faint

2 = faint

3 = distinct

4 = strong

5 = very strong

6 = extremely strong

Sniff Test

A B C D

How Strong?

How Pleasant

IntensityScale = 0 to 6

PleasantnessScale = -3 to 3

Carmichael/Spitler Pleasantness Scale

-3 = Very Unpleasant

-2 = Unpleasant

-1 = Slightly Unpleasant

0 = Neutral

1 = Slightly Pleasing

2 = Pleasing

3 = Very Pleasing

making sense of smells – communicating odors to diverse audiences - part 1

Education

odor measurementhow

green odor billot

john wiley

new york

perfumery technology

delicate pepperynote

diverse audiencesdouglas

notemiddle noteb