Dispersion modeling and air quality measurements to evaluate the odorimpact of a wastewater treatment plant inİzmir

Özet

Municipal wastewater treatment plants (WTP) are potential sources of offensive odors that can create annoyancein the communities. Therefore, odors have been rated as the primary concern of the public relative to theimplementation of wastewater treatment facilities. In this study, dispersion modeling and air quality measure-ments were used to quantify the potential odor impact around a Wastewater Treatment Plant inİzmir. AERMODatmospheric dispersion model was used to predict odor levels in OU/m3around the treatment plant. Odormeasurement results of the wastewater treatment plant units that are considered as area odor sources were usedfor odor modeling. Air quality measurements of H2S and NH3, which are two main odorous compounds emittedfrom wastewater treatment plants, were also conducted by using passive sampling methodology in the sur-roundings of the plant to evaluate the odor impact of the plant. Both odor emission and air quality measurementswere conducted in the period of July–august 2018 for evaluation of odor impact, and consequent application ofdispersion model. The air quality measurements of the pollutants which exceed the odor threshold values do notcreate annoying odor impact on residential areas. The dispersion modeling demonstrates that the odor con-centrations exceeding 10 OU/m3concentration levels that can be measured olfactometrically also do not createan odor impact on local residents.