Characterisation of odorants emissions from landfills by SPME and GC/MS

Odorous compounds from a landfill have been characterised by gas-chromatography-mass-spectrometry, identifying about 100 volatile organic compounds. Air samples from different landfill sites and from the environment have been analysed after a solid-phase microextraction on a three-phase fiber, DVB/Carboxen/PDMS, which allowed a preconcentration and the chromatographic data obtained from the most significant emission sources have been submitted to chemometric analysis in order to better establish specific markers of olfactory pollution. For example limonene was a typical tracer of fresh wastes, while p-cymene was characteristic of leachate and biogas. By the developed analytical procedure it has been evaluated the efficiency of a scrubber plant utilised in the landfill in order to remove malodour compounds. The average removal efficiency was not very high (about 23.5%) due to scarce ability in removing low polarity compounds. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated the suitability of a microgas chromatograph for the continuous on-site monitoring of air pollution in order to rapidly individuate emission sources of olfactive nuisances. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.