Project Experience: Sewer Gas Odor ID

One of our workshop attendees wanted us to test for various ‘gaseous' components. He is working for a school district that has a cafeteria kitchen that experience pre-meal flatulence of a sort. During certain food preparation activities, a sewer gas odor is noticed and is causing concern. Recent excavation activities adjacent to the kitchen may have punctured a gas or sewer main or both. We were able to rent the consultant our Draeger CMS handheld instrument which will measure over 30 different compounds in the vapor form. He used it to measure hydrogen sulfide and mercaptans. He also took samples in our TO-15 mini-cans and we analyzed the air samples for methane.