The combination of sensorial analyser ‘‘electronic nose’’
with the methods of dynamic olfactometry demonstrated
the two methods to be absolutely complementary to each
other in the monitoring of disturbance from odours.
The electronic nose permits repeatable and reproducible
determinations, and beside the analysis of harmful mix-
tures, it allows the identification of the odour source in
the environment once the imprints of the potential sources
have been previously detected.
Dynamic olfactometry provides quantitative determina-
tions of the odour intensity and therefore the comparison
with the disturbance standards expressed most generally
in OU/m
3
.
The integration of the two approaches, i.e., the con-
struction of a correlation between their determinations,
allows qualitative evaluations not only in the emissions
with strong intensities, but also in the environment immis-
sions, even at the presence of low odour concentrations.
The approach described allows evaluation of odour distur-
bance in order to gain an objectivity, a repeatability and a
reproducibility typical of the traditional chemical
methods.