Effect of Cooking Fuel Choice on the Typology of Indoor Pollutants in Port Harcourt Metropolis: Implications for the incidence of Sick Building Syndrome

Abstract

The study examined the effect of cooking fuel choice on indoor air quality and its implication for the incidence of sick building syndrome in different residential land use areas of Port Harcourt metropolis. Questionnaire survey and measurement of indoor air pollutants in residential areas were undertaken. The residential areas were stratified into high, middle and low income residential land use. Purposive sampling and random sampling techniques were used to select two residential areas and two streets from each selected residential land use. The questionnaire survey exercise that features respondents’ types of cooking fuel choices were accessed by given identification numbers to buildings. The odd numbers were enumerated for each area (residential land use). Based on consent and approval, 15 residential buildings (5 from each residential area) were selected for air quality measurements. Composite sampling technique was deployed for the collection of air quality data from the 15 households at a distance of 2m away from source of cooking fuel. The air quality parameters measured were Carbon dioxide (CO2 ), Carbon monoxide (CO), Nitrogen dioxide (NO2 ), Sulphur dioxide (SO2 ), Nitrogen oxide (NO), Nitrogen IV oxide (NO2 ) and Particulate matter (PM2.5). Both Descriptive statistics and Inferential statistics were deployed (Spearman Rank Correlation and ANOVA. Findings revealed that LP Gas (38.6%) was mostly used by residents. The concentration of gaseous pollutants of CO, CO2 , SO2 , NO and PM2.5 were all highest under low income residential area with mean concentrations of CO, =3.56(mg/m3 ), CO2 =539.5(mg/m3 ), SO2 =1.48(mg/m3 ), NO= 0.72 (mg/m3 ), and PM2.5=16.4 ug/mg3 respectively; except NO2 with concentration of 1.02 mg/m3 during the morning cooking periods. Findings revealed that measured air quality especially in the low income residential area failed to meet the perfect conditions of fresh air due to the heavy use of firewood, kerosene and charcoal as choice of cooking fuel. Thus, cooking fuel choice has direct effect on indoor air quality and the risk of Sick Building Syndrome. The study recommends that choices for cooking fuel should not be based on cost but on low health implications as this will help reduce the associated health risk factors of indoor air pollution in the study area.