No, building codes have nothing to do with the odorization of natural gas.
Federal and state laws mandate the odorization of natural gas so consumers can detect gas leaks via sense of smell.
The United States Department of Transportation (DOT) requires that: a combustible gas in a distribution line must contain a natural odorant or be odorized so that at a concentration in air of one-fifth of the lower explosive limit, the gas is readily detectable by a person with a normal sense of smell.
When was mercaptan first added to gas in the U.S.?
Mercaptan is added to natural gas after it is processed to create an odorant that gives it a sulfur-like smell. This is done to help detect leaks and ensure safety by making it easier to identify gas leaks.
The odor added to natural gas is called mercaptan. It was first added to natural gas in the 1930s by a chemist named Dr. Walter Snelling.
Natural gas is mainly methane with traces of mercaptan odorants deliberately added.
Mercaptan is a colorless gas with decaying or rotting, putrid or fetid smell.
Pure natural gas is colourless and odourless. This means if there is a leak people will not be able to detect it until it builds up enough to become explosive. For this reason a chemical called Mercaptan is added to the gas to make is smell. Mercaptan is harmless, non-toxic and has a strong "rotten egg" smell.
The distinct smell of natural gas is due to the addition of a chemical called mercaptan, which is added to it before distribution for safety reasons. Mercaptan has a strong, sulfurous odor that makes it easier to detect a gas leak.
The amount of mercaptan in natural gas can vary, but typically it is added at levels around 1-30 parts per million (ppm) to give natural gas its characteristic sulfur-like odor. This odorant is added for safety reasons to help detect potential gas leaks.
A chemical called mercaptan is added to natural gas to give it a distinct, sulfur-like smell. This odorant is added as a safety measure to help detect gas leaks since natural gas is naturally odorless.
"MURR-captain". Methyl mercaptan, CH3SH, aka methanethiol, is added to natural gas to let us smell it. It is one of the chemicals responsible for the smell of bad breath and flatulence (farts).
None. Ethyl mercaptan is not used to odorize natural gas. The normal odorant used for natural gas is tertiary butyl mercaptan, which is present at a concentration of approximately 0.5 pound/million standard cubic feet of gas.
A compound called mercaptan is added to LPG to detect its leakage. Mercaptan is a sulfur-containing compound that gives LPG a distinctive smell, making it easier to detect any leaks as it has a strong odor.