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Comparison of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Cookstoves and Wood Cooking Fires on PM 2.5 Trends in Brick Workers’ Homes in Nepal

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  • James D. Johnston

    (Department of Public Health, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA)

  • Megan E. Hawks

    (Department of Public Health, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA)

  • Haley B. Johnston

    (Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA)

  • Laurel A. Johnson

    (Marriott School of Business, Marketing & Global Supply Chain, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA)

  • John D. Beard

    (Department of Public Health, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA)

Abstract

Prior studies document a high prevalence of respiratory symptoms among brick workers in Nepal, which may be partially caused by non-occupational exposure to fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) from cooking. In this study, we compared PM 2.5 levels and 24 h trends in brick workers’ homes that used wood or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cooking fuel. PM 2.5 filter-based and real-time nephelometer data were collected for approximately 24 h in homes and outdoors. PM 2.5 was significantly associated with fuel type and location ( p < 0.0001). Pairwise comparisons found significant differences between gas, indoor (geometric mean (GM): 79.32 μg/m 3 ), and wood, indoor (GM: 541.14 μg/m 3 ; p = 0.0002), and between wood, indoor, and outdoor (GM: 48.38 μg/m 3 ; p = 0.0006) but not between gas, indoor, and outdoor ( p = 0.56). For wood fuel homes, exposure peaks coincided with mealtimes. For LPG fuel homes, indoor levels may be explained by infiltration of ambient air pollution. In both wood and LPG fuel homes, PM 2.5 levels exceeded the 24 h limit (25.0 µg/m 3 ) proposed by the World Health Organization. Our findings suggest that increasing the adoption of LPG cookstoves and decreasing ambient air pollution in the Kathmandu valley will significantly lower daily PM 2.5 exposures of brick workers and their families.

Suggested Citation

  • James D. Johnston & Megan E. Hawks & Haley B. Johnston & Laurel A. Johnson & John D. Beard, 2020. "Comparison of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Cookstoves and Wood Cooking Fires on PM 2.5 Trends in Brick Workers’ Homes in Nepal," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-16, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:16:p:5681-:d:395242
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kirk R. Smith, 2003. "Indoor Air Pollution," World Bank Publications - Reports 9723, The World Bank Group.
    2. Ramchandra Bhandari & Surendra Pandit, 2018. "Electricity as a Cooking Means in Nepal—A Modelling Tool Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-17, August.
    3. Gill, Jas, 1987. "Improved stoves in developing countries : A critique," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 15(2), pages 135-144, April.
    4. Parajuli, Ranjan & Østergaard, Poul Alberg & Dalgaard, Tommy & Pokharel, Govind Raj, 2014. "Energy consumption projection of Nepal: An econometric approach," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 432-444.
    5. Malla, Sunil, 2013. "Household energy consumption patterns and its environmental implications: Assessment of energy access and poverty in Nepal," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 990-1002.
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    Cited by:

    1. Muthukumar Palanisamy & Lav Kumar Kaushik & Arun Kumar Mahalingam & Sunita Deb & Pratibha Maurya & Sofia Rani Shaik & Muhammad Abdul Mujeebu, 2023. "Evolutions in Gaseous and Liquid Fuel Cook-Stove Technologies," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-37, January.
    2. John D. Beard & Steven M. Thygerson & Alisandra Olivares & Jaxson E. Tadje & Selah Willis & James D. Johnston, 2022. "Gaseous Air Pollutants and Respirable Crystalline Silica Inside and Outside Homes at Brick Kilns in Bhaktapur, Kathmandu Valley, Nepal," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-14, September.

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