# Olf (unit)

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The **olf** is a [unit](/source/Physical_unit) used to measure the strength of a pollution source. It was introduced by [Danish](/source/Denmark) professor [P. Ole Fanger](/source/P._Ole_Fanger); the name "olf" is derived from the [Latin](/source/Latin) word *olfactus*, meaning "smelled".[1]

One olf is the sensory pollution strength from a standard person defined as an average adult working in an office or similar non-industrial workplace, sedentary and in thermal comfort, with a hygienic standard equivalent of 0.7 [baths](/source/Bathing) per day and whose skin has a total area of 1.8 square metres. It was defined to quantify the strength of pollution sources that can be perceived by humans.

The perceived air quality is measured in [decipol](/source/Decipol).[1]

## Examples of typical scent emissions

[citation needed]

Person/object Scent emission Sitting person 1 olf Smoker 25 olf Athlete 30 olf Marble 0.01 olf/m² Linoleum 0.2 olf/m² Synthetic fibre 0.4 olf/m² Rubber gasket 0.6 olf/m²

## See also

- [Sick building syndrome](/source/Sick_building_syndrome)

## References

1. Fanger, P. O. (1987). ["Introduction of the olf and the decipol Units to Quantify Air Pollution Perceived by Humans Indoors and Outdoors"](http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/fsa19c00/pdf) (PDF). In *Energy and Buildings* **12** (1), pp. 1–6.

- [Professor Ole Fanger](https://web.archive.org/web/20060219121557/http://www.ie.dtu.dk/Staff.asp?sc=1&ID=1)'s page at the [Technical University of Denmark](/source/Technical_University_of_Denmark), includes curriculum vitae mentioning him proposing the unit called olf. [dead link]

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