Respiratory health effects of indoor air pollution (original) (raw)
Related papers
2004
The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the World Health Organization concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Dotted lines on maps represent approximate border lines for which there may not yet be full agreement. In this guide SFU is defined as: the household combustion of biomass (such as dung, charcoal, wood, or crop residues), or coal. Worldwide, approximately 50% of all households and 90% of rural households utilize solid fuels for cooking or heating. In simple stoves, biomass fuels emit substantial amounts of health-damaging pollutants, including respirable particulates, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, benzene, formaldehyde, 1,3 butadiene, and polyaromatic compounds such as benzo(a)pyrene (Smith, 1987). Depending on their quality, coal fuels may also emit sulphur oxides and 1.3 Other sources of indoor air pollution This guide stresses the importance of SFU in households, since this is the single most important situation by which people become exposed to air pollution. However, other
Indoor air pollution as a lung health hazard: focus on populous countries
Current opinion in pulmonary medicine, 2009
Indoor air pollution (IAP) resulting from the use of solid fuel for cooking and heating is a significant public health concern in developing countries. Recent studies have attempted to better characterize the epidemiology of IAP in respiratory diseases and develop technologies for reducing this IAP exposure. Evidence showed that IAP resulting from solid fuel smoke is a causative or contributory factor to acute respiratory infection, chronic obstructive lung disease, asthma, lung cancer and tuberculosis. Evidence also showed that health education, improvements in household ventilation and area distribution, improvements in stoves and changes of the fuels for cooking and heating can reduce IAP. Evidence of impacts of IAP on respiratory system disease is strong. Although some technologies can improve indoor air quality in households, improving it in households is still an urgent and high-priority task. Longitudinal studies using different methods of exposure assessment that include bot...
International Journal for Research in Applied Science and Engineering Technology, 2023
III. LEVELS OF POLLUTION AND EXPOSURE Particulate matter (PM), carbon monoxide (CO), sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxides, aldehydes, benzene, and polyaromatic compounds are only a few of the harmful pollutants released by biomass and coal smoke (Smith 1987). The main ways that these pollutants harm the lungs are by inflaming them, reducing ciliary clearance, and impairing immunological response (Bruce, Perez-Padilla, and Albalak 2000). Systemic consequences also occur, for instance, when carbon monoxide reduces the blood's ability to carry oxygen, which may contribute to intrauterine growth retardation (Boy, Bruce, and Delgado 2002). Evidence of the effects of particles on cardiovascular disease is only now becoming available from wealthy nations. PM10 concentrations ranged from 300 to 3,000 (or more) micrograms per cubic metre (g/m3) on average across 24-hour periods. Although annual averages have not been calculated, the 24-hour concentrations can be used as an acceptable approximation as these levels are observed practically every day of the year. Comparatively, the yearly PM10 air pollution standard set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is 50 g/m3, which is between one and two orders of magnitude less than the concentrations seen in many houses in poor nations. Much greater levels of PM10-up to 30,000 g/m3 or more-have been observed during cooking, when mothers and very young children spend most of their time in the kitchen and close to the fire. A. Health Impacts of IAP Recently, a systematic assessment of the evidence for the effect of IAP on a variety of health outcomes was conducted. In addition to a number of other outcomes with currently insufficient data, this evaluation found three key outcomes with sufficient evidence to include them in the burden-of-disease calculations. Household fuels can provide regional problems in several nations. According to estimates, more than 2 million people in China have skeletal fluorosis, which is partly brought on by the usage of fluoride-rich coal (Ando and others 1998). Another coal-related pollutant, arsenic, raises the risk of lung cancer in China (Finkelman, Belkin, and Zheng 1999). However, there have been worries that lowering smoke could raise the danger of vector-borne illnesses, such as malaria. According to certain research, biomass smoke can deter mosquitoes and lower their bite rates.
Effect of chronic exposure to indoor air pollutants on lung function
Background: A significant number of women living in rural areas use biomass fuel like wood, dung or crop residues for cooking. They are exposed to the smoke produced by combustion of these materials, which can cause harmful effects to the respiratory system. Objective: The present study was done to evaluate the effect of chronic exposure to biomass fuel smoke on the lung functions of rural women. Methods: The case control study included 150 female subjects of comparable age group. 75 of them were biomass fuel users and 75 were liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) users. Both the groups had been exposed to the respective fuel during cooking for over 15 years. After detailed questionnaire the Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) were assessed by computerized spirometry and statistical comparisons was done by using student t-test. Results: The percentage predicted value of the lung parameters of the biomass fuel users PEFR (p<0.01) were reduced significantly in biomass fuel users as compared to those using LPG. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that exposure to biomass fuel smoke for chronic period can lead to reduction in lung function.
Household Air pollution due to Biomass smoke exposure and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
1. Biomass use and Burden of Disease Biomass fuel consists of wood, dried animal dung, crop residue, leaves, twigs and charcoal (product of incomplete burning of wood) which is cheap and easily available. It is estimated that one half of the world's population, approximately 3 billion people worldwide use biomass fuel for cooking and heating purpose, 2.4 billion burn biomass and 0.4 billion use coal 1. These 3 billion are at risk of adverse health effects due to exposure to biomass smoke. 90% of rural population of the world and 75% of Indian population (700 million people) use biomass fuel for cooking and heating purposes 2. 75% of rural homes and 22% urban homes in India use biomass fuel 3. India (27%) and China (25%) together account for half the global population that uses biomass fuels for cooking. The use of biomass fuel depends on socioeconomic status, availability of biomass, unavailability of cleaner fuels like electricity or LPG, traditions, non availability of cooking space to burn biomass fuel in urban households and awareness. Highest exposures to indoor air pollution occur during burning of biomass fuel during the cooking process. Women who are the principal cooks of the family, young children being cared by their mothers (carried by mothers on their backs during cooking) and elderly people found indoors are mostly exposed 4. By 2030 when COPD will rank the third commonest cause of death, 54% of Indian population and 52% of other Asian countries will be still using traditional biomass fuels. 5. The World Health Organisation estimates that outdoor air pollution accounts for 5% of deaths worldwide, 1.3 million deaths per year and indoor air pollution contributes to 2 million premature deaths with more than 99% occurring in developing countries 6. Of these, 44% are due to pneumonia, 54% from COPD and 2% from lung cancer. Biomass fuel attributes to 5-6% of the national burden of disease in India 7 and tops in the fuel related deaths in South Asian region 8. With rising cost of fuel even some developed countries like Canada, Australia and western states of the United States are resorting to use of biomass as fuel 9. 2. Component of Biomass Fuel Smoke Worldwide wood is the most commonly used biomass fuel. More than 2 billion kg of biomass is burnt everyday in open fires and inefficient cookstoves 10. The biomass smoke also contributes to outdoor air pollution. Wood smoke released during incomplete combustion is a complex mixture of various volatile and respirable particulate substances derived from wood polymers and resins.More than 200 chemicals and compound groups are identified and >90% of these are in the respirable size range 11. Biomass smoke constituents are known to be toxic or have irritant effect on respiratory tract. They include particulate matter< 10 microns inaerodynamic diameter (PM10) and 2.5 microns (PM 2.5), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, aldehydes (formaldehyde), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(benzopyrene), volatile organic compounds, chlorinated dioxins and free radicals. When coal is used, sulfur, arsenic and fluorine may also be present in the smoke. Amongst these PM10 has significant adverse health effects and in homes using biomass fuel, the mean 24 hrs PM10 levels reach as high as 300 – 3000 ug/m 3 with peak reaching 20,000ug/m 3 during cooking. The safety standard set by US Environment Protection Agency (EPA) for 24 hour average PM10 exposure should not exceed 50ug/m 3 and annual mean not exceeding 20ug/m3 12. Thus indoor air pollution due to biomass fuel use is 10 – 70 times above those observed in the most polluted cities of the world. The mean carbon monoxide concentrations in homes using biomass fuel is in the range of 2 – 50ppm (parts per million) which can increase to 500ppm during cooking. The safety standard for CO for 8 hours is < 9ppm. Individual exposures are influenced by fuel type, stove type, kitchen type (indoor/ outdoor), ventilation in kitchen and duration of cooking.The exposure is significantly lower for those using open outdoor kitchens due to dispersion of smoke. Homes having kitchen indoors without partition, have high concentrations of pollutants in living room areas exposing other members of the family to toxic effects of biomass smoke. The solid biomass fuels have low energy conversion efficiency ranging from 12% to 25%. Crop residue, dung (12%), wood containing 15% moisture (15%), charcoal burnt in traditional stoves (20%), bituminous coal (25%), kerosene used in wick stoves (35%) and pressure stoves Summary Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is an important non communicable disease with rising morbidity andmortality worldwide. This results in an economic and social burden, and hence is a major public health concern. COPD is predicted to be the third commonest cause of death by 2030. Tobacco smoking is the main risk factor for COPD in developed countries. In developing countries like India, women exposed to biomass smoke are at a greater risk of developing COPD but the awareness of biomass smoke exposure associated COPD in women, is low among treating physicians. The aim of this review is to increase awareness about the extent of household air pollution caused by biomass smoke and its impact on women leading to COPD.
Biomass fuel consists of wood, dried animal dung, crop residue, leaves, twigs and charcoal (product of incomplete burning of wood) which is cheap and easily available. It is estimated that one half of the world's population, approximately 3 billion people worldwide use biomass fuel for cooking and heating purpose, 2.4 billion burn biomass and 0.4 billion use coal 1 . These 3 billion are at risk of adverse health effects due to exposure to biomass smoke. 90% of rural population of the world and 75% of Indian population (700 million people) use biomass fuel for cooking and heating purposes 2 . 75% of rural homes and 22% urban homes in India use biomass fuel 3 . India (27%) and China (25%) together account for half the global population that uses biomass fuels for cooking. The use of biomass fuel depends on socio-economic status, availability of biomass, unavailability of cleaner fuels like electricity or LPG, traditions, non availability of cooking space to burn biomass fuel in urban households and awareness. Highest exposures to indoor air pollution occur during burning of biomass fuel during the cooking process. Women who are the principal cooks of the family, young children being cared by their mothers (carried by mothers on their backs during cooking) and elderly people found indoors are mostly exposed 4 . By 2030 when COPD will rank the third commonest cause of death, 54% of Indian population and 52% of other Asian countries will be still using traditional biomass fuels. 5 . The World Health Organisation estimates that outdoor air pollution accounts for 5% of deaths worldwide, 1.3 million deaths per year and indoor air pollution contributes to 2 million premature deaths with more than 99% occurring in developing countries 6 . Of these, 44% are due to pneumonia, 54% from COPD and 2% from lung cancer. Biomass fuel attributes to 5-6% of the national burden of disease in India 7 and tops in the fuel related deaths in South Asian region 8 . With rising cost of fuel even some developed countries like Canada, Australia and western states of the United States are resorting to use of biomass as fuel 9 .
ERS/ATS workshop report on respiratory health effects of household air pollution
The European respiratory journal, 2018
Exposure to household air pollution (HAP) from solid fuel combustion affects almost half of the world population. Adverse respiratory outcomes such as respiratory infections, impaired lung growth and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have been linked to HAP exposure. Solid fuel smoke is a heterogeneous mixture of various gases and particulates. Cell culture and animal studies with controlled exposure conditions and genetic homogeneity provide important insights into HAP mechanisms. Impaired bacterial phagocytosis in exposed human alveolar macrophages possibly mediates several HAP-related health effects. Lung pathological findings in HAP-exposed individuals demonstrate greater small airways fibrosis and less emphysema compared with cigarette smokers. Field studies using questionnaires, air pollution monitoring and/or biomarkers are needed to better establish human risks. Some, but not all, studies suggest that improving cookstove efficiency or venting emissions may be associated ...
Indoor air pollution and the respiratory health of children
Pediatric Pulmonology, 1999
Indoor air pollution (IAP) is a key contributor to the global burden of disease mainly in developing countries. The use of solid fuel for cooking and heating is the main source of IAP in developing countries, accounting for an estimated 3.5 million deaths and 4.5% of Disability-Adjusted Life Years in 2010. Other sources of IAP include indoor smoking, infiltration of pollutants from outdoor sources and substances emitted from an array of human utilities and biological materials. Children are among the most vulnerable groups for adverse effects of IAP. The respiratory system is a primary target of air pollutants resulting in a wide range of acute and chronic effects. The spectrum of respiratory adverse effects ranges from mild subclinical changes and mild symptoms to life threatening conditions and even death. However, IAP is a modifiable risk factor having potential mitigating interventions. Possible interventions range from simple behavior change to structural changes and from shifting of unclean cooking fuel to clean cooking fuel. Shifting from use of solid fuel to clean fuel invariably reduces household air pollution in developing countries, but such a change is challenging. This review aims to summarize the available information on IAP exposure during childhood and its effects on respiratory health in developing countries. It specifically discusses the common sources of IAP, susceptibility of children to air pollution, mechanisms of action, common respiratory conditions, preventive and mitigating strategies.