The Foul Smelling from Sewer Pipe near Large Apartment Complexes and its Countermeasures I. Characteristics of the Foul-Smelling Sewer Pipe in Residential Areas

This study intends to investigate the characteristics of the foul smell of sewer pipes near large apartmentcomplexes as complaints about offensive odors have drastically increased in urban residential areas.Targeting apartments where people actually complained about foul orders, the study result revealed thatcomponents in the smell of the water-purifier tank of the target apartment were very similar to those ofsewage treatment plants and night soil treatment plants. Measuring components of odors inside themanagement layer of tank showed that the concentration of hydrogen sulfide was 10ppm, which isapproximately 160 times the safety standard of 0.06ppm; the concentration of mercaptan was 0.9ppm,which is about 220 times the safety standard of 0.004ppm.The source materials of foul odors were discharged outside through ducts, and those households livingnear outlets producing bad smell complain that it gets worse depending on the air pressure or winddirection and strength, and they could not even open windows. As well, these source materials were transferred by discharge pumps to public sewer pipes outside theapartment complex. While discharge pumps starts operating, they remain on the sewer pipe and then beginto spread over to roads through small openings of manholes on the road. Then, the smell offends passers-by and residents near the road, leading to a lot of complaints.The study results suggest that, among the sources of foul odors in sewer pipes of residential areas,especially those from the water-purifier tank of large apartments, hydrogen sulfide should be the maintarget for follow-up treatment.