Premium
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Gaseous Emissions from Household Cooking Devices: A Kenyan Case Study
Author(s) -
Munyeza Chiedza F.,
Osano Aloys M.,
Maghanga Justin K.,
Forbes Patricia B.C.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
environmental toxicology and chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1552-8618
pISSN - 0730-7268
DOI - 10.1002/etc.4648
Subject(s) - stove , environmental chemistry , environmental science , polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon , combustion , kerosene , pyrene , liquefied petroleum gas , gasoline , chemistry , waste management , organic chemistry , engineering
In developing countries, household energy use is highly variable and complex, yet emissions arising from fuel combustion indoors are typically poorly quantified. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are emitted during the combustion of organic fuels such as charcoal and biomass. In the present study, multichannel polydimethylsiloxane rubber traps were used for gas‐phase PAH sampling and extracted using a low–solvent volume plunger‐assisted solvent extraction method. Sixteen US Environmental Protection Agency priority PAHs, primarily in the gas phase, were investigated in indoor air of rural and urban residential homes in coastal Kenya (Mombasa and Taita Taveta Counties) using typical combustion devices of each area. Average gaseous PAH concentrations per household were higher in rural (ranging 0.81–6.09 µg m –3 ) compared to urban (ranging 0–2.59 µg m –3 ) homes, although ambient PAH concentrations were higher in urban environments, likely attributable to traffic contributions. The impact of fuel choice and thereby combustion device on PAH emissions was very clear, with the highest concentrations of PAHs quantified from wood‐burning emissions from 3‐stone stoves (total PAH averages 46.23 ± 3.24 µg m –3 [ n = 6]). Average benzo[ a ]pyrene equivalent total concentrations were evaluated for the priority PAHs and ranged from not detected to 43.31, 88.38, 309.61, and 453.88 ng m –3 for gas, kerosene, jiko, 3‐stone, and improved 3‐stone stoves, respectively. Environ Toxicol Chem 2020;39:538–547. © 2019 SETAC