Odor Detection Threshold

Basics

• This is a measure of what concentration of a substance is needed in air in order for it to be smelled
• Not only does it vary from chemical to chemical, but it also varies person to person, and with each person's age/health (Loss of Taste and Smell is a symptom of COVID-19, and even congestion can effect the Odor Detection Threshold)
• Also one can experience Olfactory fatigue (aka "Nose Blindness" ) and thus gradually loose detection of the hazard
• Despite this there is use to the estimate to get an idea of about when it should be detected
• An issue is for some chemicals the Median Lethal Dose and/or the Lower Explosive Limit can be below the Odor Detection Threshold, thus waiting to smell the chemical before evacuating etc may not work

Internal Links

• Gas Odorization (The use of an Odorant to make a gas with no scent have an artificially high Odor Detection Threshold, so that leaks can be detected)
• Portable Gas Detector / Portable Gas Monitor (These are small units that fill a role akin to a Dosimeter / Noise Dosimeter but for various gases, typically they measure either a single gas, "4 Gas Detectors" that measure Oxygen, Carbon Monoxide , Hydrogen Sulfide , (Hydrocarbon) Combustible Gasses (And typically calculate a LEL
  • As long as these are Calibrated they are far more effective than scent, and a must for Confined Space work, as well as Refineries etc

External Links

• The Wikipedia Page on the Odor Detection Threshold