EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT FOR A RURAL COMMUNITY USING BIOMASS FUEL IN TRADITIONAL AND IMPROVED STOVES

摘要

In developing countries biomass fuels are burnt mostly in primitive stoves causing serious implications for exposure and health. To overcome this problem, the most common intervention attempted is the introduction of improved smokeless stoves. The performance of these new stoves is tested under controlled conditions but there is a dearth of data under field conditions. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the improved stoves in terms of personal exposure in a rural community. In the study Respirable Particulate Matter (PM_5) and CO were monitored on a longitudinal basis i.e., before and after the introduction of intervention (improved stove). Results show improved stoves reduce average PM_5 concentrations by 37% for personal sampling and CO concentrations by 54% near the stove during cooking period. For the community as a whole there is an average 40 % reduction in daily-integrated exposure to PM_5 with the improved stoves (p<0.0001).