1. Impacts of stove/fuel use and outdoor air pollution on chemical composition of household particulate matter
- Author
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James J. Schauer, Ellison Carter, Jill Baumgartner, Xudong Yang, Ming Shan, Alexandra Lai, Sierra Clark, and Kun Ni
- Subjects
Rural Population ,Environmental Engineering ,business.product_category ,010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,Air pollution ,Coal combustion products ,010501 environmental sciences ,medicine.disease_cause ,01 natural sciences ,Heating ,Soot ,Air Pollution ,medicine ,Humans ,Organic matter ,Cooking ,Household Articles ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,chemistry.chemical_classification ,Family Characteristics ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,Environmental engineering ,Environmental Exposure ,Building and Construction ,Particulates ,Solid fuel ,Aerosol ,Electric stove ,chemistry ,Air Pollution, Indoor ,Stove ,Environmental science ,Particulate Matter ,business - Abstract
Biomass combustion for cooking and heating releases particulate matter (PM2.5 ) that contributes to household air pollution. Fuel and stove types affect the chemical composition of household PM, as does infiltration of outdoor PM. Characterization of these impacts can inform future exposure assessments and epidemiologic studies, but is currently limited. In this study, we measured chemical components of PM2.5 (water-soluble organic matter [WSOM], ions, black carbon, elements, organic tracers) in rural Chinese households using traditional biomass stoves, semi-gasifier stoves with pelletized biomass, and/or non-biomass stoves. We distinguished households using one stove type (traditional, semi-gasifier, or LPG/electric) from those using multiple stoves/fuels. WSOM concentrations were higher in households using only semi-gasifier or traditional stoves (31%-33%) than in those with exclusive LPG/electric stove (13%) or mixed stove use (12%-22%). Inorganic ions comprised 14% of PM in exclusive LPG/electric households, compared to 1%-5% of PM in households using biomass. Total PAH content was much higher in households that used traditional stoves (0.8-2.8 mg/g PM) compared to those that did not (0.1-0.3 mg/g PM). Source apportionment revealed that biomass burning comprised 27%-84% of PM2.5 in households using biomass. In all samples, identified outdoor sources (vehicles, dust, coal combustion, secondary aerosol) contributed 10%-20% of household PM2.5 .
- Published
- 2020