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

Abstract

The gas sensing performances of low cost commercial chemical sensors are compared to the ones of standardized chemical analysers. Real time measurements are performed on the field of three municipal solid waste 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 are commercial metal oxide semiconductor gas sensors (MOx, Figaro). The sensors-array devices are developed at the ULg laboratory (SAM). Analysers are certified and operated by the official Wallonia public scientific institute (ISSeP). In addition to odour, other target compounds are considered: methane, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, but also NMHC as limonene, pinene and BTEX The laboratory has a long experience in using chemical sensors for odour in-field measurements, especially for landfills and composting plants. The aim of this study is to evaluate the performances of chemo-resistors array for continuous monitoring of compounds typical of municipal wastes in comparison to reference analysers. It highlights weaknesses and strengths of the two kinds of devices. The obtained results are considered for odour event detection as well as for chemical compound quantification and are discussed to evaluate the efficiency of metal oxide sensors for a low cost gas emissions assessment.