Characteristics of Gas Phase Carbonyl Emission and Excess Risk from Incense Stick Burning

摘要

Incense stick burning is one of casual household activity, especially in East and Southeast Asian countries, including Vietnam. In this study, nine incense stick types were collected from Vietnam and investigated the carbonyl emission profile. The result showed that in ten analyzed carbonyl compounds, propionaldehyde (3-84%, avg. 32%), acetaldehyde (8-90%, avg. 30%), and acetone (0-38%, avg. 9%) were the most abundant in terms of total weight emitted carbonyls, respectively. The fourth abundant aldehyde was HCHO (1-26%, avg. 8%). The concentration of formaldehyde (HCHO) in released smoke ranged from 46.65 +/- 4.44 to 596.89 +/- 279.17 mu g/m(3) (38.02 +/- 3.62 to 486.46 +/- 242.19 ppb). High concentration of these carbonyls can pose health risk. Therefore, the personal risk assessment of HCHO inhalation exposure was carried out by the burning simulation in a small unventilated room. The risk calculation showed that the cancer risk is 1.81 x 10(-5), 24% higher than the base risk. However, the risk may be much higher.