Household Air pollution due to Biomass smoke exposure and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Abstract

Biomass fuel consists of wood, dried animal dung, crop residue, leaves, twigs and charcoal (product of incomplete burning of wood) which is cheap and easily available. It is estimated that one half of the world's population, approximately 3 billion people worldwide use biomass fuel for cooking and heating purpose, 2.4 billion burn biomass and 0.4 billion use coal 1 . These 3 billion are at risk of adverse health effects due to exposure to biomass smoke. 90% of rural population of the world and 75% of Indian population (700 million people) use biomass fuel for cooking and heating purposes 2 . 75% of rural homes and 22% urban homes in India use biomass fuel 3 . India (27%) and China (25%) together account for half the global population that uses biomass fuels for cooking. The use of biomass fuel depends on socio-economic status, availability of biomass, unavailability of cleaner fuels like electricity or LPG, traditions, non availability of cooking space to burn biomass fuel in urban households and awareness. Highest exposures to indoor air pollution occur during burning of biomass fuel during the cooking process. Women who are the principal cooks of the family, young children being cared by their mothers (carried by mothers on their backs during cooking) and elderly people found indoors are mostly exposed 4 . By 2030 when COPD will rank the third commonest cause of death, 54% of Indian population and 52% of other Asian countries will be still using traditional biomass fuels. 5. The World Health Organisation estimates that outdoor air pollution accounts for 5% of deaths worldwide, 1.3 million deaths per year and indoor air pollution contributes to 2 million premature deaths with more than 99% occurring in developing countries 6 . Of these, 44% are due to pneumonia, 54% from COPD and 2% from lung cancer. Biomass fuel attributes to 5-6% of the national burden of disease in India 7 and tops in the fuel related deaths in South Asian region Component of Biomass Fuel SmokeWorldwide wood is the most commonly used biomass fuel. More than 2 billion kg of biomass is burnt everyday in open fires and inefficient cookstoves 10 . The biomass smoke also contributes to outdoor air pollution. Wood smoke released during incomplete combustion is a complex mixture of various volatile and respirable particulate substances derived from wood polymers and resins. More than 200 chemicals and compound groups are identified and >90% of these are in the respirable size range 11 . Biomass smoke constituents are known to be toxic or have irritant effect on respiratory tract. They include particulate matter < 10 microns in aerodynamic diameter (PM10) and 2.5 microns (PM 2.5), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, aldehydes (formaldehyde), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (benzopyrene), volatile organic compounds, chlorinated dioxins and free radicals. When coal is used, sulfur, arsenic and fluorine may also be present in the smoke.Amongst these PM10 has significant adverse health effects and in homes using biomass fuel, the m...

Occupational Exposure to Particulate Matter from Biomass Smoke and Its Relationship to Respiratory Symptoms and Pulmonary Function among Rural Women Involved in Cassava Processing in Nigeria

“…Particulate matter PM 10 and PM 2.5 can be inhaled deeply into the lungs. The pathology due to biomass smoke exposure leads to respiratory tract infections, wheezing, chronic bronchitis and COPD [29]. In this study, it was also found that the prevalence of self reported respiratory symptoms which suggest underlying respiratory illness among the cassava processors was higher than that for the petty traders.…”

Environmental and maternal anthropometric determinants for low birth weight in maternity hospitals in Asmara, Eritrea

“…21 Studies that were done by Boy et al, 22 and Demelash et al, 19 were in agreement with the findings of this study. As discussed by Fernandes et al, 23 and Sehgal et al, 24 the exposure to biomass smoke, which contains carbon monoxide and other toxic materials, leads to diseases related to respiratory system which in turn affects birth weight negatively.…”