Exposure to Emissions from Kerosene Cooking Stoves and the Pulmonary Health Status of Women in Olorunda Community, Ibadan, Nigeria

Abstract

Exposure to high PM 10 by women and children for hours on a daily basis in poor ventilated kitchen may lead to respiratory morbidity among this vulnerable group. In Nigeria, data on the levels of air pollutants associated with kerosene stove combustion are very scarce. Like-wise little had been documented on the pulmonary health of women exposed to kerosene stove emission. This study was carried out to measure the levels of kerosene combustion emissions within kitchen environments and also assess the pulmonary function status of the exposed women at baseline. Particulate matter (PM 10 ) and gaseous emissions (GE) were measured in six purposively selected clusters of regular kerosene stove users (KSU) using gravimetric sampler and gas monitors, respectively and their values compared with WHO guideline limits. 167 randomly selected KSU were surveyed to elicit their socio demographic features. A spirometer was used to assess the lung function status (FEV 1 ) of 72 KSU in six neighbourhood kitchen clusters. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, and Pearson’s correlation tests. Respondents’ mean age was 38 + 12.9 years. Mean duration of exposure to GE was 18.9 + 9.8 years. Mean PM 10 was 248.1 + 14.1 μg/m 3 and ten folds higher than WHO guideline limit of 25 μg/m 3 . Mean GE in ppm were: CO (0.00), CO 2 (200.1 + 12.4), SO 2 (0.01 + 0.00) and NO 2 (0.00). Mean FEV 1 among KSU was 2.0 + 0.5 litres which was significantly lower than the mean predicted value of 2.7 ± 0.5 litres. There was a negative correlation between PM 10 and FEV 1 (r = -0.7539, p > 0.05). Safer cooking methods and practices to obviate health hazards are advocated.