The Impact of Kitchen Activities on Indoor Pollutant Concentrations

Abstract

A preliminary Indoor Air Quality study was performed in 26 residential homes in 6 cities in different climate zones in China. In Chinese urban environments, coal gas and natural gas are used as the main fuels for cooking. Analysis of the results employed the ratio of living room to kitchen (L/K) pollutant concentrations and the correlation of their levels to assess the transport of pollutants indoors. Sources in the kitchen affect living room concentrations of SO2, NO, NO2, and CO, less so that of CO2 levels and weakly of PM10. Among all the pollutants, SO2 has the minimum 0.88 L/K ratio value, and maximum correlation value, R2=0.89; on the other hand, PM10 has the maximum L/K ratio value, 1.20 and minimum R 2-value, 0.55, which means that PM10 is mostly influenced by activities and other factors that do not take place in the kitchen. Concentrations of SO2 differed significantly depending on the fuel type used for cooking with coal gas producing 87.6% higher SO2 concentrations than natural gas. Concentrations of CO2 and PM10 were the same regardless of gas type. The type of ventilation was found to influence polluant concentrations with a mechanical exhaust system showing higher efficiency than a natural ventilation system in exhausting pollutants. The period and style of cooking also affected concentrations of pollutants in the kitchen.