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Characterizing Particulate Matter Exfiltration Estimates for Alternative Cookstoves in a Village-Like Household in Rural Nepal

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Abstract

Alternative stoves are an intervention option to reduce household air pollution. The amount of air pollution exiting homes when alternative stoves are utilized is not known. In this paper, particulate matter exfiltration estimates are presented for four types of alternative stoves within a village-like home, which was built to reflect the use of local materials and common size, in rural Nepal. Four alternative stoves with chimneys were examined, which included an alternative mud brick stove, original Envirofit G3355 model, manufacture altered Envirofit G3355, and locally altered Envirofit G3355. Multiple linear regression was utilized to determine estimates of PM2.5 exfiltration. Overall exfiltration fraction average (converted to a percent) for the four stoves were: alternative mud brick stove with chimney 56%, original Envirofit G3355 model with chimney 87%, manufacture altered Envirofit G3355 model with chimney 69%, and locally altered Envirofit G3355 model with chimney 69%. Alternative cookstoves resulted in higher overall average exfiltration due to direct and indirect ventilation relative to traditional, mud-based stoves. This contrast emphasizes the need for an improved understanding of the climate and health implications that are believed to come from implementing alternative stoves on a large scale and the resultant shift of exposure burden from indoors to outdoors.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the field research supervisors and staff, Steve LeClerq, Mr. Pramod Sah, Mr. Bharat Bahadur, Dr. Ana Rule, Dr. D’ann Williams, Jana Mihalic, and Chen Chen. This manuscript is dedicated to the late Dr. Alison Geyh for being a great colleague and mentor.

Funding

Sources include a grant from The Environment, Energy, and Sustainability Institute at Johns Hopkins; grant support from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (ES015558; ES003819), and the Thrasher Research Fund (02830-4).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA

    Sutyajeet I. Soneja & Patrick N. Breysse

  2. Department of Global Health, Milken School of Public Health and Health Services, George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20037, USA

    James M. Tielsch

  3. Nepal Nutrition Intervention Project Sarlahi, Kathmandu, Nepal

    Subarna K. Khatry

  4. Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA

    Benjamin Zaitchik

  5. Department of Epidemiology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA

    Frank C. Curriero

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  1. Sutyajeet I. Soneja
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Correspondence to Sutyajeet I. Soneja.

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Soneja, S.I., Tielsch, J.M., Khatry, S.K. et al. Characterizing Particulate Matter Exfiltration Estimates for Alternative Cookstoves in a Village-Like Household in Rural Nepal. Environmental Management 60, 797–808 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-017-0915-3

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