RP-74 -- Odor Identification in Occupied Spaces PDF

The objective of this study was to examine the contribution of odors in enclosed spaces and to attempt to determine where and what problems might exist. This required the definition of meaningful groupings for types of space, types of odor sources, and the odor contribution of each source in each space. The panel of individuals familiar with odor problems responded to the lengthy questionnaire to give opinions based on their experience. This resulted in a consensus opinion for odor problems in fourteen selected types of space with substantial agreement among the panel. For each space nine internal and five external odor sources were rated for the frequency of occurrence, strength and duration of odor. Additionally, for those sources that were felt to contribute, the panelists indicated a rank of importance. An alternative indication that odor in enclosed space is indeed a problem is an estimate of the costs for odor removal. Some preliminary estimates of these economic implications have been made using simplifying assumptions.