Traditionally odour dose-response studies have been based on questionnaires, surveys, odour diaries, etc under the scope of some guidelines and standards (e.g VDI 3883). However, this methodology has serious limitations. For example, they lack precision on recording time and location stamp of an incident. That is why a group of experts from Spain have decided to work on a new methodology to map annoyance based on citizen science and other tools. Second meeting of this group that discusses about  linking an Odour Impact Critera to an Annoyance Benchmark took place last week. The idea behind is to work together with the Spanish Accreditation Body (UNE) to publish the first standard on this subject.

   Odour Impact Criteria (OIC) set in many parts of the world, are based on dose-response psychometric studies made in Germany and the Netherlands many years ago. Nowadays, with the use of smartphones it is possible to instantaneously record time and location of an odour perception. This is a better way to assess the impact and the only way to link odour with annoyance, that is why a group of experts has met to write the first standard on annoyance mapping.

   D-NOSES stands for Distributed Network for Odour Sensing, Empowerment and Sustainability. This 3 year-long project is supported by International Associations, experts in citizen science, odour and sustainability experts, local administrations and public bodies. The important part of validation has just commenced with cases studies in Portugal, Spain, Greece and Bulgaria.

   This DNOSES project will study the use of mapping odour annoyance to describe and study the impact of this environmental vector. The idea is to launch several case studies to see how better use this tool that links odour with annoyance.