Intercomparison of methods to estimate black carbon emissions from cookstoves

Abstract

Black carbon is the second largest contributor to climate change and also poses risks to human health. Despite the need for black carbon (BC) emissions estimates from residential biomass burning for cooking, quantitative data are still scarce. This scarcity is mainly due to the scattered location of the stoves, as well as relatively costly and complex analytical methods available. Two low cost and easy-to-use optical methods, a cell-phone based system and smoke stain reflectometry, where compared to elemental carbon (EC) concentrations by the Sunset OCEC Analyzer (TOT). The three techniques were challenged with different aerosol types (urban and biomass cookstoves), and different filter substrates (quartz and glass fibre). A good agreement was observed between the two low cost techniques and the reference system for the aerosol types and concentrations assessed, although the relationship was statistically different for each type of aerosol. The quantification of correction factors with respect to the reference method for the specific conditions under study is essential with either of the low-cost techniques. BC measurements from the cell-phone system and the reflectometer were moderately affected by the filter substrate. The easy use of the cell-phone based system may allow engaging cookstove users in the data collection process, increasing the amount and frequency of data collection which may, otherwise, not be feasible in resourced constrained locations. This would help to raise public awareness about environmental and health issues related to cookstoves.