KNOWLEDGE Just unpleasant or also hazardous to health? Odour nuisance in the workplace Whether you like a smell or find it unpleasant is usually a matter of personal preference, particularly when it comes to light and natural smells. Opinions tend to be more consistent when it comes to strong or chemical smells. This may be because inhaling chemicals can harm health, a fact that most people are aware of or assume to be true [1]. In fact, certain odour parameters can be measured objectively; for example, ‚vapour pressure‘ can be measured [2]. A high vapour pressure value, as exhibited by peracetic acid (PES), means that a substance quickly transitions to the gas phase at low temperatures and can therefore be easily inhaled. If such substances are also toxic, they can quickly pose a health risk. Beyond vapour pressure: Why DNEL values matter just as much The DNEL (Derived No-Effect Level, or the exposure level below which human health is not affected) is considered the toxicological limit value for assessing the risk posed by a substance [3]. The DNEL is one of many limit value measures and can be used alongside the No Observed Effect Level (NOEL) or the No Observed Adverse Effect Level (NOAEL). Plotting the vapour pressure against the DNEL (see figure) makes it immediately apparent that isopropanol and ethanol are harmless, while formaldehyde, chlorine and PES should not be inhaled deeply and protective measures should be taken when handling them. DNEL values also form the basis for determining protective measures in the workplace. These measures protect the health of employees in chemical laboratories, for example, as well as cleaning staff, who are often exposed to volatile, odorous substances when cleaning surfaces. Good to know: The new Bacillol® Oxy Tissues products for surface disinfection only contain hydrogen peroxide and glycolic acid, both of which are relatively odourless, and do not contain PES. Even ‚harmless‘ smells can cause discomfort Unlike vapour pressure and DNEL, objective, established measurement methods for odour perception and recognition thresholds do not currently exist. It is also not possible to predict whether a person will experience symptoms such as nausea or loss of appetite in response to a ‚harmless‘ odour, such as horse manure [1,4]. Of course, a fundamental distinction must be made between pure nuisance and danger. Nevertheless, even a ‚harmless‘ odour nuisance that cannot be avoided can damage health through causing permanent stress [1]. With regard to occupational safety and the associated occupational exposure limits, information in Section 8 of a Safety Data Sheet is also relevant. References 1. Brüning T, Sucker K (2022) Arbeitsmed Sozialmed Umweltmed 57: 448 –455. https://doi.org/10.17147/asu-1-204767 2. https://www.bgbau.de/themen/sicherheit-und-gesundheit/gefahrstoffe/sicherheitsdatenblatt/dampfdruck (accessed on 19.08.2025) 3. https://www.weka.de/arbeitsschutz-gefahrstoffe/dnel/ (accessed on 19.08.2025) 4. Van Thriel C et al. (2023) Geruchsintensive Stoffe: Grundlagen, Bewertung und Markierung. The MAK Collection for Occupational Health and Safety 8: Doc010. https:// doi.org/10.34865/mb0geruchdgt8_1or 5. Technische Regel für Gefahrstoffe. Ausgabe: Januar 2006. BArBl. Heft 1/2006 S. 41-55. Zuletzt geändert und ergänzt: GMBl 2025, S. 155 [Nr. 8] (vom 20.03.2025). Berichtigt: GMBL 2025 S. 234 [Nr. 10-11] (vom 06.05.2025). https://www.baua.de/DE/Angebote/Regelwerk/TRGS/pdf/TRGS-900.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=11 (accessed on 24.09.2025) Chlorine Toxicity (based in DNEL-values) Vapour pressure Water Isopropanol Peracetic acid Formaldehyde Essigsäure H2O2 Chlorine bleach Chloroform Ethanol Methanol R-Limonene (orange flavour) Diagram in double logarithmic scale based on data from the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) chemicals database 18
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