Identification of Sources of Emission of Foul-Smelling Substances and Their Assessment at Waste Storage Facilities

Introduction: The presence of airborne substances having unpleasant, specific, or irritating odors is the main cause of public complaints. In this regard, it is necessary to improve methods of testing and assessing human exposures to foulsmelling substances, as well as optimize strategies for studying and regulating these exposures.

Objective: To develop methods of testing, modeling, and evaluation of foul-smelling substances in ambient air.

Materials and Methods: We conducted field olfactometric studies and modeling of ambient air pollution with foul-smelling substances based on laboratory testing of wastewater sludge emissions at sites known as sources of unpleasant odors.

Results: Field olfactometry findings helped reveal a potential source of malodor beyond the boundaries of the surveyed area. Ambient air pollution modeling showed that surface concentrations of all airborne contaminants did not exceed hygienic standards at all measurement points located at set distances; yet, the odor threshold was exceeded at a distance of more than 100 m from the facility boundary.

Discussion: The discussed olfactometry techniques represent a promising direction for further development of assessment and regulation of environmental exposures to foul-smelling substances.

Conclusion: The study results formed the basis for recommendations for improving field odor detection methods and applying the olfactometry criterion in addition to the hygienic criterion for determining adverse exposure areas when establishing sanitary protection zones.

1. Karelin AO, Lomtev AYu, Friedman KB, Yeremin GB, Pankin AV. Identification of emission sources of pollutants causing complaints of unpleasant odours. Gigiena i Sanitariya. 2019;98(6):601-607. (In Russ.) doi: 10.18821/0016-9900-2019-98-6-601-607

2. Pinigin MA, Budarina OV, Safiulin AA. The development of hygienic basis of odour regulation and control in ambient air and ways of harmonization in this field. Gigiena i Sanitariya. 2012;91(5):72-75. (In Russ.)

3. Sedusova EV, Kleyn SV, Mai IV, Nikiforova NV. Practice and prospects of proving harm to human health caused by atmospheric air pollution and indoor air in pre-trial and trial. Health Risk Analysis. 2015;(4):13-20.

4. Brancher M, Griffiths KD, Franco D, de Melo Lisboa H. A review of odour impact criteria in selected countries around the world. Chemosphere. 2017;168:1531-1570. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2016.11.160

5. Pilip LV, Khristolyubov PV. Analysis of air odor pollution in the city of Kirov: State, sources, impact on health. Vestnik Vyatskogo GATU. 2025;(1(23)):114-123. (In Russ.)

6. Orlov VA, Saimullov AV, Melnik OV. A study of the process of malodor formation in sewer networks and analysis of methods for its elimination. Vestnik MGSU. 2020;15(3):409-431. (In Russ.) doi: 10.22227/1997-0935.2020.3.409-431

7. Mironenko OV, Kiselev AV, Magomedov KhK, Pankin AV, Suvorova OK, Fedorova EA. Hygienic assessment of the impact of emissions from the body sewage sludge landfill on public health. Ekologiya Cheloveka (Human Ecology). 2020;(11):4-13. (In Russ.) doi: 10.33396/1728-0869-2020-11-4-13

8. Magomedov KhK, Fridman KB, Belkin AS, Noskov SN. Experimental substantiation of the hygienic assessment method of the geotubing of deposits from urban sewage treatment facilities. Gigiena i Sanitariya. 2017;96(7):623626. (In Russ.) doi: 10.18821/0016-9900-2017-96-7-623-626

9. Rublevskaya ON, Svitskov SV. [The experience of St. Petersburg Vodokanal in reducing emissions of unpleasant odors from a sewage pumping station.] Nailuchshie Dostupnye Tekhnologii Vodosnabzheniya i Vodootvedeniya. 2020;(1):2-7. (In Russ.)

10. Noskov SN, Markova OL, Yeremin GB, Zaritskaya EV, Isaev DS. Quantitative and qualitative determination of gases generated on sludge sites of sewage treatment plants. Zdorov’e Naseleniya i Sreda Obitaniya. 2022;30(7):40-47. (In Russ.) doi: 10.35627/2219-5238/2022-30-7-40-47

11. Zhao Z, Pei Y, Zhao P, et al. Characterizing key volatile pollutants emitted from adhesives by chemical compositions, odor contributions and health risks. Molecules. 2022;27(3):1125. doi: 10.3390/molecules27031125

12. Polvara E, Legnani V, Invernizzi M, Sironi S. Olfactometric and chemical characterisation of gaseous emission from crude oils. Molecules. 2025;30(5):1136. doi: 10.3390/molecules30051136

13. Jońca J, Bezyk Y, Miller U, et al. Holistic approach to odour impact assessment on the basis of three waste management plants. Waste Manage. 2025;208:115156. doi: 10.1016/j.wasman.2025.115156

14. Noskov SN, Markova OL, Zaritskaya EV, Yeremin GB, Isaev DS, Mironenko OV. Determination of priority air pollutants at the sites of sludge disposal of sewage treatment plants when establishing a sanitary protection zone. Vestnik Sankt-Peterburgskogo Universiteta. Meditsina. 2022;17(4):305-314. (In Russ.) doi: 10.21638/spbu11.2022.406

15. Han Z, Qi F, Wang H, et al. Emission characteristics of volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) from a municipal sewage sludge aerobic composting plant. Waste Manage. 2018;77:593-602. doi: 10.1016/j.wasman.2018.05.049

16. González D, Colón J, Sánchez A, Gabriel D. A systematic study on the VOCs characterization and odour emissions in a full-scale sewage sludge composting plant. J Hazard Mater. 2019;373:733-740. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.03.131

17. Svitskov SV, Malykh OS, Trashchenko PV. Olfactometric studies in pig production: Goals, methods, results. Ekologiya i Stroitelstvo. 2020;(3):4-11. (In Russ.) doi: 10.35688/2413-8452-2020-03-001

18. Kostyleva NV, Oputina IP, Gileva TE, Nigmatzyanova KR. On the question of standardizing odor pollution in the Russian Federation. Astrakhanskiy Vestnik Ekologicheskogo Obrazovaniya. 2024;(4(82)):12-22. (In Russ.) doi: 10.36698/2304-5957-2024-4-12-22

19. Budarina OV, Pinigin MA, Fedotova LA, Sabirova ZF, Potapchenko TD. Modern methodological approaches to the experimental substantiation of the permissible content of odorous substances in the ambient air. Toksikologicheskiy Vestnik. 2017;(4(145)):34-39. (In Russ.) doi: 10.36946/0869-7922-2017-4-34-39

20. Kiselev AV, Grigoreva YaV. The use of results of the calculation of atmospheric pollution for the social and hygienic monitoring. Gigiena i Sanitariya. 2017;96(4):306309. (In Russ.) doi: 10.18821/0016-9900-2017-96-4-306-309

21. Zaritskaya EV, Markova OL, Noskov SN, Yeremin GB. [Method for determining the content of volatile odorous compounds in the air from sludge beds.] Patent RU 2816661 C1 dated April 2, 2024. Accessed February 09, 2026. https://www.fips.ru/iiss/document.xhtml?faces-redirect=true&id=9c505ae95b7fbcf05d6e047e86d72803.

22. Shilov VV, Isaev DS, Markova OL. A comparative analysis of atmospheric air quality standards, taking into account olfactory reflex effects. In: Current Issues of Hygiene and Occupational Diseases: Proceedings of the Russian Scientific and Practical Conference dedicated to the Centenary of the North-West Public Health Research Center, St. Petersburg, October 24–25, 2024. St. Petersburg: Kosta 3D LLC; 2024:419-425. (In Russ.)

23. Azarov VN, Svitskov SV, Solov’eva TV. About the mathematical model of assessment of odor strength from sewage treatment in Kaliningrad Oblast. Vestnik Volgogradskogo Gosudarstvennogo Arkhitekturno-Stroiteľnogo Universiteta. Seriya: Stroiteľstvo i Arkhitektura. 2017;(50(69)):156-164. (In Russ.)

24. Budarina OV, Skovronskaya SA, Goshin ME, Sabirova ZF. Use of sensory and analytical methods in hygienic assessment of odour in atmospheric air (literature review). Gigiena i Sanitariya. 2025;104(5):554-561. (In Russ.) doi: 10.47470/0016-9900-2025-104-5-554-561