Comparison “Low Cost Chemical Sensors – Analytical Instruments” for Odour Monitoring in a Municipal Waste Plant

摘要

The gas sensing performances of low cost commercial chemical sensors are compared to the ones ofstandardized chemical analysers. Real time measurements are performed on the field of three municipal solidwaste plants (MSW). Long-term campaigns of several months have been organised during the period 2010-2015. The sensors and the reference analysers have worked simultaneously. The selected sensors arecommercial metal oxide semiconductor gas sensors (MOx, Figaro). The sensors-array devices are developedat the ULg laboratory (SAM). Analysers are certified and operated by the official Wallonia public scientificinstitute (ISSeP). In addition to odour, other target compounds are considered: methane, ammonia, hydrogensulfide, but also NMHC as limonene, pinene and BTEX The laboratory has a long experience in usingchemical sensors for odour in-field measurements, especially for landfills and composting plants. The aim ofthis study is to evaluate the performances of chemo-resistors array for continuous monitoring of compoundstypical of municipal wastes in comparison to reference analysers. It highlights weaknesses and strengths ofthe two kinds of devices. The obtained results are considered for odour event detection as well as for chemicalcompound quantification and are discussed to evaluate the efficiency of metal oxide sensors for a low costgas emissions assessment.