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Personal PM 2.5 Exposure Monitoring of Informal Cooking Vendors at Indoor and Outdoor Markets in Johannesburg, South Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Maasago Mercy Sepadi

    (Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Doornfontein Campus, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg 2094, South Africa)

  • Vusumuzi Nkosi

    (Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Doornfontein Campus, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg 2094, South Africa
    Environment and Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Johannesburg 2094, South Africa
    School of Health Systems and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0001, South Africa)

Abstract

Air pollutants of concern include particulate matter (PM) in fine size fractions. Thus far, a few studies have been conducted to study the adverse health effects of environmental and occupational air pollutants among informal vendors in big cities in South Africa. Informal vendors in these cities may experience higher exposure to road dust, cooking fumes, and air pollution. This exposure assessment was part of a health risk assessment study of vendors. The objective of this exposure assessment was to determine the differences between outdoor and indoor informal vendors’ personal PM 2.5 exposures during trading hours. A walkthrough survey was conducted to map the homogeneous exposure groups (HEGs) at vendor markets for sampling purposes, and one market was selected from each of the three identified HEGs. Twenty-five informal cooked food vendors from both indoor (inside buildings) and outdoor (street or roadside vendors) markets in the inner city of Johannesburg, South Africa, participated in the study. HEG-1 were vendors from indoor stalls who used electricity and gas for cooking (10 vendors), HEG-2 was composed of informal outdoor vendors at a fenced site market who used open fire for cooking (10 vendors), and HEG-3 (5 vendors) were roadside vendors who used gas for cooking. Cooking vendors from outdoor markets recorded higher TWA concentrations than indoor market vendors. The vendors’ PM 2.5 concentrations ranged from <0.01 mg/m 3 to 0.77 mg/m 3 . The mean concentrations of PM 2.5 were found to be 0.12 mg/m 3 , and 0.18 mg/m 3 for HEG-2, and HEG-3, respectively. HEG-2 recorded the highest PM 2.5 TWA concentrations, followed by HEG-3 and HEG-1. All concentrations were below the South African occupational exposure limit. The findings point to the need for further research into the health risks associated with outdoor cooking vendors, particularly those who utilize open fires.

Suggested Citation

  • Maasago Mercy Sepadi & Vusumuzi Nkosi, 2023. "Personal PM 2.5 Exposure Monitoring of Informal Cooking Vendors at Indoor and Outdoor Markets in Johannesburg, South Africa," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-12, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:3:p:2465-:d:1051444
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Maasago Mercy Sepadi & Vusumuzi Nkosi, 2021. "A Study Protocol to Assess the Respiratory Health Risks and Impacts amongst Informal Street Food Vendors in the Inner City of Johannesburg, South Africa," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-13, October.
    2. Maasago Mercy Sepadi & Vusumuzi Nkosi, 2022. "Environmental and Occupational Health Exposures and Outcomes of Informal Street Food Vendors in South Africa: A Quasi-Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-11, January.
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    1. Maasago Mercy Sepadi & Vusumuzi Nkosi, 2023. "Health Risk Assessment of Informal Food Vendors: A Comparative Study in Johannesburg, South Africa," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-15, February.
    2. Maasago Mercy Sepadi & Vusumuzi Nkosi, 2023. "Strengthening Urban Informal Trading and Improving the Health of Vendors: An Integrated Management Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(6), pages 1-15, March.

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