You will need just a few mL of each odorant, along with 6 to 8 cups, jars, or beakers per odorant. Any strongly scented, water-soluble substance will do.
Example odarants- Fresh lemon juice
- Mint flavored mouthwash
- Vinegar
- Vanilla extract
Set up 1:2 serial dilutions
Volumes can be scaled up or down as desired.
- Begin with a 1:25 dilution.
- Place 48 mL of water into your first container
- Add 2 mL of odorant and mix thoroughly
- Label this container 1:25
- Set up containers.
- To 5 additional containers, add 25 mL of water
- Label them 1:50, 1:100, 1:200, 1:400, and 1:800
- Perform serial dilutions.
- Take 25 mL from the 1:25 container and add it to the 1:50 container
- Take 25 mL from the 1:50 container and add it to the 1:100 container
- Repeat for the remaining containers
- Adjust as necessary.
- If the 1:800 dilution still smells strongly, continue making 1:2 serial dilutions until you can no longer detect the odorant.
- If the 1:25 dilution smells weak, make more concentrated solutions (e.g., 1:10, 1:5) until you have a good range.
Some odorants are stronger than others. Aim to have 5-6 different dilutions of odorant. The most dilute solution should be undetectable; the most concentrated should be easily detectable.