Effectiveness of various ventilation systems in reducing exposure to biomass related particles: A real-life experiment

Abstract

Background: Exposure to indoor air pollution, in particular particulate matter from biomass-fueled fires, has been identified as a major public health problem. Here, we test the effectiveness of simple ventilation systems in reducing concentrations of particulate matter in a standard experimental kitchen, built of traditional materials in Kenya. Materials and Methods: Continuous sampling for total particles, particulate matter <10 μm and <2.5 μm were sampled in a purpose-built rural kitchen using four ventilation scenarios: no ventilation, open window, open window and chimney and chimney only. The levels of pollutants were recorded and the effectiveness of different ventilation scenarios in reducing the exposure was compared. Results: For each size of particle, any type of ventilation showed a decrease in concentrations (P < 0.001), compared to the unventilated scenario of 70% or more. The lowest concentrations were observed when only a chimney was used; opening a window did not significantly alter the effectiveness of the chimney. Additionally, the changes in pollutant levels over time showed the least variation and lowest mean values when a chimney only was used. Conclusions: Simple ventilation systems, especially installation of a chimney, proved to be effective in significantly decreasing the exposure to biomass fuel-related indoor particulate matter exposure. The application of such technology may help in tackling this important public health issue.