We had a similar experience in our Chemistry building when it was first constructed. There was no odor f rom any of the gas jets. The explanation is that the piping used absorbs the odorant until a point is reached where it is “conditioned” and no longer absorbs it. The same happened recently at another nearby university. The only way to condition the pipes is to run the gas, let it sit in the pipes to be absorbed, and continue this until you can sme ll it. Whether one burns it off or allows it to be vented is a choice to be made based on monitoring ability. I guess the same could happen in a situation where the gas has not been used in a long time, although I usua lly see it mentioned with respect to new buildings.
-Stefan Wawzyniecki, CIH, CHMM< /font>
University of Connecticut - R 20; Where Men are Men, but the Women are Champions”
From: DCHAS-L
Discussion List [mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**list.uvm.edu] On
Behalf Of Jim Kaufman
Sent: Wednesday, April 08, 2
009
2:27 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Mercaptan
in
Gas Suppy
Has anyone encountered the situation where the odorant smell from the burner gas supply changed when the gas was not used for several months? If so, any explanation why?
The individual who posed this questio n to me said that his "lost its rotten smell and now smells slightly musty and is much less noticeable".
Thanks ... Jim
James A.
Kaufman, Ph.D.
The Laboratory Safety Institute (LSI)
192 Worcester Road, Natick, MA 01760-2252
President/CEO
A Nonprofit International Organization for
Safety in Science and Science Education
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