metalresearcher - 11-8-2011 at 10:13
Personally I think these anal gases contain tiny amounts of methylmercaptan CH3SH and H2S is also responsible for it.
Is this correct or am I wrong ?
Bot0nist - 11-8-2011 at 10:25
Since the smell of flatus varies between individuals and occurrences I must assume that it is no one answer. I do know that a fart consists mostly of:
* Nitrogen: 20–90%
* Hydrogen: 0–50%
* Carbon dioxide: 10–30%
* Oxygen: 0–10%
* Methane: 0–10%
So the smelly chemicals (if you don't count methane) must be a very small fraction of the volume of flatus. Me thinks some sulfur compounds may even
be present sometimes, judging by the odor.
mario840 - 11-8-2011 at 10:37
H2S very small amount but shitty to nose
metalresearcher - 11-8-2011 at 12:03
The content of C2H5SH is *very low* as 1 : 2.5 billion is already detectable.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C2H5SH
redox - 11-8-2011 at 12:13
The article:
"Identification of Gases Responsible for the Odour of Human Flatus and Evaluation of a Device Purported to Reduce this Odour"
Said that the main components were H2S (1.06 µmol/l), methanethiol (0.21 µmol/l), and dimethyl sulfide (0.08 µmol/l).
cyanureeves - 11-8-2011 at 16:02
i am responsible for fart smell by thursday when i start on the beans after i eat up all my boloney by wednesday. it has got to be hcl acid because
even some metals in hcl acid stink and probably metals and minerals in our food. what i dont understand is why i start farting as soon as beans hit my
belly before i even start digesting.its like the campfire scene in blazing saddles.
bahamuth - 11-8-2011 at 16:12
Metals dissolved in acid usually "stink" because of phosphorous or sulfur contaminants, reacting giving phosphine and hydrogen sulfide.
Think redox nailed it, but suspect that there may be several more odourous gases/volatiles responsible for flatus odour present in minute quantities.