Chemical Characterization and Source Apportionment of Household Fine Particulate Matter in Rural, Peri-urban, and Urban West Africa

Abstract

Household air pollution in sub-Saharan Africa and other developing regions is an important cause of disease burden. Little is known about the chemical composition and sources of household air pollution in subSaharan Africa, and how they differ between rural and urban homes. We analyzed the chemical composition and sources of fine particles (PM 2.5 ) in household cooking areas of multiple neighborhoods in Accra, Ghana, and in peri-urban (Banjul) and rural (Basse) areas in The Gambia. In Accra, biomass burning accounted for 39−62% of total PM 2.5 mass in the cooking area in different neighborhoods; the absolute contributions were 10−45 μg/m 3 . Road dust and vehicle emissions comprised 12−33% of PM 2.5 mass. Solid waste burning was also a significant contributor to household PM 2.5 in a low-income neighborhood but not for those living in better-off areas. In Banjul and Basse, biomass burning was the single dominant source of cooking-area PM 2.5 , accounting for 74−87% of its total mass; the relative and absolute contributions of biomass smoke to PM 2.5 mass were larger in households that used firewood than in those using charcoal, reaching as high as 463 μg/m 3 in Basse homes that used firewood for cooking. Our findings demonstrate the need for policies that enhance access to cleaner fuels in both rural and urban areas, and for controlling traffic emissions in cities in sub-Saharan Africa.

Biotransformation and Oxidative Stress Responses in Captive Nile Crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) Exposed to Organic Contaminants from the Natural Environment in South Africa

“…In addition, aquatic species are often consumed and form a large part of the diet of rural populations in Africa. Thus, tissue residues in the flesh contribute to the daily intake of contaminants by humans [21] and also represent serious health consequences for biota [22]. In the present study, the biotransformation and oxidative stress responses in relation to chemical burden in the liver of male and female Nile crocodiles was investigated, with varying degrees of anthropogenic chemical contamination.…”

Urban air pollution in Sub-Saharan Africa: Time for action

“…This leads to poor waste management practices which severely compromises air quality in these areas. Studies conducted in Accra, Ghana reported that, majority of households in the city manage their solid waste by openly burning the garbage (Boadi and Kuitunen, 2005;Amegah et al, 2012;Zhou et al, 2014). The combustion activities releases dioxins, furans and other air pollutants which severely impacts household and local air quality.…”

Endemic Cardiovascular Diseases of the Poorest Billion

“…Solid-waste burning was also a significant contributor to pollution in poor neighborhoods in Ghana, but not more wealthy neighborhood. 61 South Asia has some of the highest ambient particulate matter levels worldwide and increasingly many African cities have levels higher than high-income cities. 62 Long-term exposure to lead is associated with high blood pressure and clinical CVD.…”