Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Personal Exposures to Airborne Particulate
Matter (TSP) during Biomass Cooking (2 to 5 hrs/day)
Table 3.3
in Developing Countries
Measurement
conditions
PM concentration
(
Country/year
µ
g/m
3
)
India
1983
In 4 villages
6800
1988
In 5 villages
4700
1988
In 2 villages
3600
1988
In 8 villages
3700
Nepal
1986
In 2 villages
2000
1988
In 1 village
Traditional stove
8200
Improved stove
300
Source:
From Smith, K.R.,
Environment
, 30, 28, 1988. With permission.
particulate matter exposure concentrations exceed standards for 24-hour
average outdoor concentrations (which would not be permitted to be
exceeded more than once per year in developed countries) by an order of
10 to 50+ times.
Inhalable particulate matter concentrations (PM
) in suburban Mozam-
bique homes using different fuel sources, including wood, are summarized
7
concentrations, not unexpectedly, were associated
with both wood and coal. Lower concentrations associated with wood fuels
(when compared to those in
Tables 3.2
and
3.3
)
may be due to the smaller
cutoff diameter (7
7
m) used for collected particles in Mozambique studies.
Nevertheless, average PM concentrations were nearly 6 to 8 times higher
than the U.S. 24-hour average PM
µ
air quality standard. Indeed, the U.S. 24-
hour standard was exceeded even in the few homes using electricity and
liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for cooking. Such exposures are due to neigh-
borhood ambient air pollution associated with the biomass cooking of others.
10
Table 3.4
)
Concentrations in Mozambique Suburban Dwellings
Indoor Inhalable Particulate Matter (PM
7
using Different Cooking Fuels
Average PM
concentrations
7
Fuel
(
µ
g/m
3
± SE)
# of residences
Wood
1200 ± 131
114
Coal
940 ± 250
4
Kerosene
760 ± 270
10
Charcoal
540 ± 80
78
Electricity
380 ± 94
8
LPG
200 ± 110
3
Source:
From Ellegard, A.,
Environ. Health Perspect.
104, 980, 1996.
