The removal characteristics of composite odor and malodorous substances using 33 biofilters in sewage treatment facilities were investigated. The geometry mean values of composite odor and odor quotient were reduced by 52.7% and 59.2% at the outlet of the biofilters, respectively. The removal efficiencies of the biofiltes for the composite odor and odor quotient show a significant difference statistically(p=0.000<0.05). The median value of odor quotient of sulfur compounds was reduced by 69.1% at the outlet of the biofilter and the odor quotient of the sulfur compound at the inlet and outlet of the biofilter shows a significant difference statistically(p=0.000<0.05); on the other hand, those of the NH3 and trimethylamine, aldehydes, VOCs and alcohols, organic acids do not.

Odor from sewage treatment plants have the potential to cause significant annoyance and to impact the amenity. In this study, odor emission characteristics at unit process of 48 sewage treatment facilities in 39 plants were evaluated using composite odor concentration and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) concentration. The values of composite odor concentration (geometry mean) and H2S concentration (median) for sludge treatment processes are higher than those for the other treatment processes. The composite odor concentration and H2S concentration are distributed over a wide area in each process. Composite odor concentration (dilution ratio) was found to have the significant correlation with H2S concentration (p=0.000<0.05). The H2S concentration accounted for 67.1% of composite odor concentration.