Sensory evaluation of the odors produced during bromophenol formation using a multi-level statistical model

In response to reports of medicinal taste and odor problems in suburban Paris, a lab scale study was conducted to investigate the contribution of different water quality parameters - pH, phenol, bromide, chlorine, temperature and dissolved oxygen levels - on bromophenol medicinal odor formation using the Flavor Profile Analysis (FPA) method. A study of six parameters at 2 levels (64 experiments) analyzed by the FPA method suggests that chlorine at high concentration is more important as a controlling agent than phenol under similar conditions and the ratio of HOBr:Phenol and the time for reaction will control subsequent brominated products of reaction. Results from a three-level statistical model indicate that high pH was associated with lower odor intensities, whereas high levels of chlorine, phenol and temperature were associated with high odor intensities. Potential worst case scenarios of water quality conditions were determined for evaluation by chemical identification and kinetics.