TITLE:
PM10 Emissions from Cooking Fuels in Nigerian Households and Their Impact on Women and Children
AUTHORS:
Vivian N. Mbanya, Mynepalli K. C. Sridhar
KEYWORDS:
Cooking Fuels, PM10, Smoke, Lung Function, Women, Children, Nigeria
JOURNAL NAME:
Health,
Vol.9 No.13,
December
7,
2017
ABSTRACT: A study was carried out on the type of fuels being used by households in Ibadan, a highly populated city in south-west Nigeria. Ekotedo, Agbeni, Bodija and Agbowo communities were selected through stratified random sampling, keeping in view of their socioeconomic background and population density. The study monitored 186 households for the type of fuel used for cooking and measured PM10 and the lung function of the respondents. The study population involved 130 women and 130 children. In addition, a community nurse carried out a physical and clinical examination of both the mothers and the children for respiratory and non-respiratory symptoms. The results showed that 37.7% used firewood, 33.1% used kerosene, 17.7% used charcoal and 11.5% used liquefied natural gas. Firewood use followed by charcoal emitted high PM10 at a level of 1640 μg/m3 and 1159 μg/m3, respectively. Charcoal users showed the lowest lung function values and gas users the highest value. A majority (78.5%) of the respondents complained of having cough during and after cooking. Some of them reported breathing problems, eyes and skin irritations. It is recommended that the communities be advised to switch over from the use of biomass fuels to natural gas so as to sustained the natural resources and again, reduced the health impacts of these cooking fuels on the population.