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oemBiology oemBiology
wrote...
Posts: 1245
4 years ago
Recently, I move into a apartment with old toilet, and there is air leakage on pipeline, but I don't know on where the smell come from.  I would like to know on any chemical tools to identify the source of smell, such as making those smell become colorful smoke.
Does anyone have any suggestions?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions
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wrote...
Valued Member
Educator
4 years ago
Unfortunately only a trained home inspector can tell you. There are devices that will calculate bacteria count, but not smell. What does it smell like? Are you certain the smell is coming directly from the toilet? Is the toilet made out of porcelain?
oemBiology Author
wrote...
4 years ago Edited: 4 years ago, oemBiology
There is some leakage of sewer odor within toilet and drain pipe.  Is there any chemical tools to make those smell in color smoke in order to detect the source of odor?

Yes, toilet and floor tile are used porcelain, and I have used toilet cleaner to remove old dirty stuff, but odor still exists.

Do you have any suggestions?
Thank you very much for any suggestions (^v^)
oemBiology Author
wrote...
4 years ago
Very very professional works !!!

wrote...
Valued Member
Educator
4 years ago
There is some leakage of sewer odor within toilet and drain pipe. Is there any chemical tools to make those smell in color smoke in order to detect the source of odor? Yes, toilet and floor tile are used porcelain, and I have used toilet cleaner to remove old dirty stuff, but odor still exists. Do you have any suggestions? Thank you very much for any suggestions (^v^)

I'm guessing that you're smelling sewage Undecided Could be the main drain pipe is too close to the surface of the ground. Poor engineering?
oemBiology Author
wrote...
4 years ago
For killing bacteria, would UV (254nm) do a better job than any other cleaner?
Furthermore, I would like to know on how UV (185nm) generate O3 as well, which can also kill bacteria in another approach.

Do you have any suggestions?
Thank you very much for any suggestions (^v^)
wrote...
Valued Member
Educator
4 years ago
Between 160 to 240 nm, UV light causes O2 to split, called photolysis. This will disrupt the oxygen molecule, causing a single oxygen to attach to an individual oxygen molecule forming O3. I was thinking that maybe bacteria that depend on oxygen to survive die-off because the oxygen supply gets depleted, but I'm more inclined to think that the UV rays disrupt the DNA of the organism instead.

I would not recommend using light treatment only, because it may not be as effective when there's layer of grime. First you need to remove the grime with a bleach, for example, then treat it with light as an extra precaution.
oemBiology Author
wrote...
4 years ago Edited: 4 years ago, oemBiology
Does bacteria give odor as well? what kind of chemical gas is generated and release odor by bacteria. Furthermore, I would like to know on how long bacteria takes to grow back in general.

Do you have any suggestions?
Thank you very much for any suggestions (^v^)

wrote...
Valued Member
Educator
4 years ago
The order coming from bacteria comes from the breakdown of the substance they're using to grow. For example, in our gut, they produce methane - the smell of farts Happy Dummy

If the bacteria is not eliminated, a colony can grow back within 1 day. Of course, given it has the resources to grow, i.e. food source, oxygen in some cases, water, etc.
oemBiology Author
wrote...
4 years ago Edited: 4 years ago, oemBiology
Before UV light treatment, if the odor occurs regular around 8am (more stable) and 4pm (less stable), can I confirm that odor comes from external source?

8am : people usually take a bath before work
4pm : unknown activity.

After UV light treatment, I turn on UV light + O3 daily to eliminate the growth of bacteria within internal environment, and I still smell of farts, then this smell must come from leaking pipe or sewer (external source), does it make sense to detect the source of odor?

Furthermore, can UV light eliminate methane?

Do you have any suggestions?
Thank you very much for any suggestions (^v^)
wrote...
Valued Member
Educator
4 years ago
Before UV light treatment, if the odor occurs regular around 8am (more stable) and 4pm (less stable), can I confirm that odor comes from external source?

Interesting observation. If that's the case, in accordance with my initial observation, it's coming from the main pipeline that leads to the sewers.

After UV light treatment, I turn on UV light + O3 daily to eliminate the growth of bacteria within internal environment, and I still smell of farts, then this smell must come from leaking pipe or sewer (external source), does it make sense to detect the source of odor?

Exactly.

Furthermore, can UV light eliminate methane?

What you're smelling is waste, which includes methane a many other gases (hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, ammonia, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide). Photolysis of methane is known to produce other hydrocarbons, like propane, ethane (source). It's not recommended that you do this

By the way, I had this problem with my washer machine not long ago. It was the U-shape of the P-trap that lead to the sewage that was clogged. It'd only happen if we left the door of the washer closed after use, but when we kept it open, the oxygen would somehow kill the bacteria causing the stinch.
oemBiology Author
wrote...
4 years ago
I would like to confirm on whether UV light can eliminate methane or not, if UV cannot eliminate methane, then after UV light treatment, the smell of methane can confirm the source of odor from external sources.

Do you have any suggestions?
Thank you very much for any suggestions (^v^)

For my case, other people suggests using following items to dissolve the dirty on surface of tiles for removing odor, this kind of product may work for your U-pipe as well, which dissolve any dirty, but they never disclose the product's specification / components.

Ref : http://www.wellconnected.com.hk/toilet_eng.htm


wrote...
Valued Member
Educator
4 years ago
Here's what will happen with methane and UV



Don't count on that doing anything effective.

We use the product "Drano". It'll unclog any pipe, it might actually help to try.
wrote...
Staff Member
4 years ago
If you really want to destroy what's causing the smell, use lye (sodium hydroxide). Drano is good because it contains lye, aluminum, and sodium nitrate. These two together creates heat, which increases the effect of the rest of the lye on the grease/bacteria in the drain. When the lye dissolves the dirt, it releases hydrogen.
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