The Use of Sensory Analysis Techniques to Assess the Quality of Indoor Air

Crit Rev Anal Chem. 2017 Jan 2;47(1):37-50. doi: 10.1080/10408347.2016.1176888. Epub 2016 Apr 22.

Abstract

The quality of indoor air is one of the significant elements that influences people's well-being and health inside buildings. Emissions of pollutants, which may cause odor nuisance, are the main reason for people's complaints regarding the quality of indoor air. As a result, it is necessary to perform tests aimed at identifying the sources of odors inside buildings. The article contains basic information on the characteristics of the sources of indoor air pollution and the influence of the odor detection threshold on people's health and comfort. An attempt was also made to classify and use sensory analysis techniques to perform tests of the quality of indoor air, which would enable identification of sensory experience and would allow for indication of the degree of their intensity.

Keywords: Indoor air quality; odor nuisance; olfactometry; sensory analysis.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Air Pollution, Indoor / analysis*
  • Environmental Monitoring / methods*
  • Humans