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PM2.5 pollution from household solid fuel burning practices in central India: 1. Impact on indoor air quality and associated health risks

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Abstract

PM2.5 concentrations were measured in residential indoor environment in slums of central India during 2012–2013. In addition, a suite of chemical components including metals (Al, K, Ca, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Pb, Mo, Se, Sb, Na, Mg, K and Hg), ions (Na+, Mg2+, K+, Ca2+, F−, Cl−, NH4 +, NO3 − and SO4 2−) and carbon (OC and EC) were analyzed for all samples. Indoor PM2.5 concentrations were found to be several folds higher than the 24-h national ambient air quality standard (60 µg/m3) for PM2.5 in India, and the concentrations were found to vary from season to season. Mass closure was attempted for PM2.5 data, and close to 100 % mass was accounted for by organic matter, crustal material, secondary organic and inorganic aerosols and elemental carbon. Additionally, carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks associated with exposure to indoor PM2.5 (inhalation, dermal and ingestion) were estimated and while exposures associated with dermal contact and ingestion were found to be within the acceptable limits, risk associated with inhalation exposure was found to be high for children and adults. Elements including Al, Cd, Co, Cr, Mn, Ni, As and Pb were present in high concentrations and contributed to carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks for residents’ health. Results from this study highlight the need for efforts to reduce air pollution exposure in slum areas.

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Acknowledgments

Funding of this research was provided by the Department of Science and Technology (India) Project Number SR/S4/AS-61/2010. The authors would like to thank Meteorology Research Department, Indira Gandhi Agricultural University, Raipur (Chhattisgarh, India), for the meteorological dataset, and Dr. Xin Hu for his help in completing health risk calculations. Research support from Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur (Chhattisgarh, India), and Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (New Delhi) is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Studies in Chemistry, Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur, Chattisgarh, 492010, India

    Jeevan Lal Matawle, Shamsh Pervez & Manas Kanti Deb

  2. Regional Laboratory, Directorate of Geology and Mining, Chhattisgarh, Jagdalpur, Chattisgarh, 494001, India

    Jeevan Lal Matawle

  3. National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, Nehru Marg, Nagpur, Maharashtra, 440020, India

    Anjali Shrivastava

  4. Indian Institute of Tropical and Meteorology (IITM), New Delhi, India

    Suresh Tiwari & Diwan Singh Bisht

  5. Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA

    Pallavi Pant

  6. Chhatrpati Shivaji Institute of Technology, Durg, 491001, India

    Yasmeen F. Pervez

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  1. Jeevan Lal Matawle
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Matawle, J.L., Pervez, S., Shrivastava, A. et al. PM2.5 pollution from household solid fuel burning practices in central India: 1. Impact on indoor air quality and associated health risks. Environ Geochem Health 39, 1045–1058 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-016-9871-8

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