A new German standard on electronic noses and their testing has been published in December. The recent VDI 3518 part 3 on "multigas sensors" is the continuation of the work made in parts 2 and 1 published in 2011 and 2014, respectively. This standard has focused on odour-related measurement, a special case of multigas sensors.
The surprise here is that the reference method taken for calibration is not only olfactometry, but also instrumental analytics. That means that this standard deals not only with odour-related measurement but also with odorant-related measurement, which is not quite the same.
Electronic odour measurement is intended to assist in detecting the presence of odours, differentiating between them, classifying them, and measuring the odorant concentration. In this standard, a measurement and analysis procedure is drawn up with the help of relevant samples of known composition and properties. According to the standard, is possible to produce a reference for the odour by using standardised olfactometry methods. This can be assisted by a poll of experts or customers.
The VDI 3518 part 3 details a method for testing the equipment, another method for demonstrating metrological functionality, a method for demonstrating suitability for electronic odour measurements, and a final method for the use of electronic noses. According to this standard, even following these 4 methodologies, a successful application-based deployment of electronic noses will not be guaranteed.
This standard is very much related to the work of the CEN WG 41 that is dealing with Instrumental Odour Monitoring Systems.
Get the VDI 3518 part 3 on multigas sensors here.
If you find this article interesting, you might also be interested in these articles:
- II Meeting of the CEN group dealing with gas sensors and pattern recognition for odorant monitoring in Nimes, France
- A new European Standard for e-noses?
- 4th meeting of the CEN Working Group for 'Instrumental odour monitoring'
- Calibration of o-sensors? Is that possible? Some inputs from the last meeting in Berlin
- Call for E-Nose Standardization Volunteers
