Indoor air pollution (IAP) from burning biomass
fuels is a major contributor to health burden in
developing countries and studies have suggested
links to a variety of chronic health conditions
such as respiratory and cardiovascular disease
(Fullerton et al 2009; Kurmi et al 2010).
IAP concentrations found in homes in the
developed world are likely to be less due to
better ventilation and control measures. While
there are many studies examining determinants
of indoor air pollutants (Monn et al 1997; Pekey
et al, 2010; Larsson et al, 2004), there is little
systematic information on the effect of open
combustion and use of solid fuels for cooking
and heating in domestic homes in developed
countries. This information is needed to qualify
the health burden that arises from IAP in
domestic settings. Certain pollutants are more
dominant, depending on the fuel type used.
Increased levels of NO2 have been associated
with the use of gas burning appliances
(Dennekamp et al, 2001; GarciaAlgar
et al,
2004), while elevated concentrations of NO2 and
CO are the principle pollutants associated with
the use of woodburning
appliances (Naeher et
al, 2007).
While recent smokefree
legislation in many
countries has improved indoor air quality at
work and in enclosed public spaces, there
remains a need to begin the process of
quantifying the health burden that arises from
IAP within domestic environments in the
developed world. The data presented here are
from part 1 of a 2 part study on Indoor Air
Pollution and Health (IAPAH). IAP
measurements were used in part 2 to estimate
the health burden attributable to exposure to IAP
from open combustion within the home (Shafrir
et al., 2011).