Assessment of PAHs Emissions from Domestic Cooking Fuels on Indoor Air in Nigeria

Abstract

Due to Nigeria’s high electricity cost, biomass fuels (gas and kerosene) are thought to be more cost-effective, less stressful, and commonly utilized in cooking in urban areas. Thus, this results in higher polycyclic-aromatic-hydrocarbons (PAHs) concentrations in indoor areas, posing a health risk. This study investigated the contribution of gas and kerosene stoves to the indoor level of PAHs in two selected household kitchens. Furthermore, their concentrations were calculated to investigate PAH dispersion patterns and evaluate the carcinogenic risk it poses to health. The gas and kerosene stoves used were placed in different rooms of equal sizes and allowed to burn for 3 hours daily, assuming an average cooking time per day. Passive sampling with polyurethane foam (PUF) disks was used. The disks were removed after 3, 7, and 14 days for Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS) analysis to determine the PUF disks’ PAHs concentration. The study results revealed that the indoor PAHs’ average concentration after 3, 7, and 14 days is 0.28, 0.44, and 0.65 μg/m3 for gas, respectively, and the corresponding average concentration for kerosene is 0.72, 0.94, and 1.33 μg/m3, respectively. Although the gas stove showed a better performance than the kerosene, good ventilation in the kitchen will assist in reducing the PAH concentration from both gas and kerosene stove cooking in the kitchen for better health.