Gas-Chromatography coupled to Ion Mobility Spectrometry (GC-IMS) has been around for some time and it has been used in several projects to detect the fingerprint of odours.  Recently, a groundbreaking paper has introduced the GCIMS R package, an open-source tool designed to streamline data processing for this cutting-edge technology.

   GC-IMS enables the study of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in biofluids, giving rise to what's often referred to as "volatilomics." These compounds contribute to the distinct smells associated with breath, saliva, sweat, and more. Importantly, changes in the composition of these VOCs are indicative of various health conditions and can be leveraged for disease diagnosis and drug monitoring.

   The Spanish Association of Water Supply and Sanitation (AEAS) agreed in 2018 to create a specific sub-group dedicated to odour management (SGO) within the Operations, Technology and Energy group of AEAS. Five years later, AEAS has elevated the status of the SGO to become a fully-fledged group. This is fantastic news for any odour manager interested in this sector.

   On Wednesday 11th May, the plenary meeting of the Commission V of the Spanish Association of Water Supply and Sanitation (AEAS) took place. At this meeting, it was decided that the Odour Management Subgroup would become the Odour Management Group (GGO), no longer under the umbrella of the Operations, Technology and Energy Group. This decision adds more weight and responsibility to the group of people working on various odour management projects.