Abstract
We determined the components responsible for garbage odor in seven households (Samples A-G) by performing gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The GC/MS results of Sample A identified two components: ethanol and ethyl acetate. However, these did not contribute to the garbage odor. Next, we conducted gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC/O), for Sample A, and determined diacetyl, 3-methyl-1-butanol, acetic acid, and isobutyric acid, which were not detected by GC/MS. When we calculated the content and threshold dilution ratio of these four odor components in all samples, diacetyl, 3-methyl-1-butanol, and acetic acid were detected in all samples, among which diacetyl showed the highest threshold dilution ratio. Thus, one of the components contributing to garbage odor was confirmed to be diacetyl. Sample D had the highest threshold dilution ratio of diacetyl among all samples; however, the sample most associated with garbage odor was Sample A. Therefore, the results indicate that garbage odor is complex, and its intensity depends on the components.
