Measurement of the relative pleasantness/unpleasantness of odours (hedonic tone), is based on the VDI 3882:1997, part 2; Determination of Hedonic Tone, Düsseldorf, Germany. The analysis provides an indication of the likely offensiveness of odours and can be used to compare the relative potential for annoyance of odours from different odour sources (e.g. before and after abatement, or from different odorous operations).

The analytical capabilities are also applicable to more general air quality issues, such as determination of workplace exposure, indoor air quality assessments, or evaluation of the risk of health impacts on sensitive members of the community.

Since odorous airstreams are commonly made up of complex mixtures of odorants, chemical species and olfactometry assessments are often conducted hand in hand, to gain an insight into the effect of removing specific chemicals on the overall odour concentration of the release.


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