Indoor pollution from solid biomass fuel and rural health damage: A micro-environmental study in rural area of Burdwan, West Bengal

Abstract

Emissions from biomass combustion are a major source of indoor and outdoor air pollution, and are estimated to cause millions of premature deaths worldwide annually. In this study, we assessed the effect of exposure to biomass smoke on various health status including blood pressure, gaseous component and ventilation pattern of kitchen and living room. For this investigation, a number of measurements were done to obtain indoor air quality (IAQ) data (indoor humidity, temperature, CO, CO 2 and O 3 concentration). Blood pressure was measured at baseline and one hour post-exposure. Results highlighted that a higher concentration of CO 2 was released during burning of dry leaf, straw, cow dung compared to that from straw and LPG gas. Moreover, correlation study showed a strong negative relationship between CO and humidity (r = À0.609, p < 0.000). Symptoms like eye irritation, shortness of breath, cough and dizziness were highly prevalent among biomass users. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure showed a strong positive (p < 0.05) relationship with age of biomass users. However, wood users suffer from high systolic pressure (p < 0.037). On the other hand, a very poor ventilation pattern was recorded in the studied population.

Expression levels of circulating microRNAs‐126, ‐155, and ‐145 in Mexican women exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons through biomass fuel use

“…Biomass combustion is the principal fuel source used in rural communities located in developing countries for cooking and heating (Chakraborty et al, ). Nevertheless, biomass burning produces a great amount of several toxic contaminants with well‐established damaging effects on human health (Kim et al, ; Wu et al, ).…”

“…Nevertheless, biomass burning produces a great amount of several toxic contaminants with well‐established damaging effects on human health (Kim et al, ; Wu et al, ). It has been estimated that in developing countries, indoor biomass fuels burning may account for approximately 2 million deaths per year (Chakraborty et al, ). In this research, urinary 1‐OHP levels were measured in Mexican women as an exposure biomarker to PAHs, a family of pollutants generated in the combustion processes of organic materials, including biomass burning.…”

Integrated Environmental Health Risk Assessment Framework for Firewood-Induced Indoor Air Pollution

“…Since observational studies do not control any variable, the results can only allow the researcher to claim association, not causation. Chakraborty et al [17] used observation to check ventilation pattern of the houses by considering the total number of windows in kitchen and living room.…”

Infectious Diseases and Agriculture

“…As well as contributing to diets and income, livestock produce many useful products and byproducts (such as manure, skins, fuel, power) and these products bring associated benefits and risks to health and well-being. For example, use of cow manure for fuel is widespread in India, which reduces costs of cooking but is associated with many diseases such as acute lower respiratory infections, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, pulmonary tuberculosis, and asthma (Chakraborty et al, 2014).…”