Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Indoor air pollution from biomass fuels: a major health hazard in developing countries

  • Review Article
  • Published:
Journal of Public Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Nearly 3 billion people live without electricity today. This energy poverty means that they have to resort to biomass fuels for their household energy needs. When burned, these fuels release a mixture of toxic chemicals in their smoke, which is often over twenty times greater than World Health Organization (WHO) and Environmental Protection Agency recommended guideline limits.

Aim

This review details factors that contribute to indoor air pollution, its effects on health, and discusses corrective measures to consider when planning intervention strategies to stem the high morbidity and mortality trend.

Methods

The term developing countries is defined using the 2008 United Nations Conferences on Trade and Development Handbook. PubMed, Google Scholar and Science Direct databases from 1990 to 2011 were searched using the key terms: indoor air pollution, biomass fuel, particulate matter, health risks, and developing countries. Bibliographies of all relevant articles were also screened to find further eligible articles. Inclusion criteria were peer-reviewed articles and technical reports from global health organizations such as the WHO and United Nations Development Program. Exclusion criteria were articles focused on modern energy, developed countries, and non-English publications.

Results

The review discusses the extent of indoor air pollution related to use of biomass for cooking and assesses its impact on various health and social problems, including lung diseases, adverse pregnancy outcomes and human development, especially in vulnerable populations. It also offers strategies to mitigate problems related to indoor air pollution.

Conclusions

Biomass fuel is a major cause of indoor air pollution and is a significant health hazard in developing countries. A thorough understanding of the connection between choice of fuel for household needs and health impact of long-term exposure to pollutants from smoke generated during use of biomass for cooking is required so that appropriate intervention strategies and policies can be established to protect vulnerable populations.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ansary-Moghaddam A, Martiniuk A, Lam TH et al (2009) Smoking and the risk of upper aero digestive tract cancers for men and women in the Asia-Pacific region. Int J Environ Res Public Health 6(4):1358–1370. doi:10.3390/ijerph6041358

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Balakrishnan K, Sankar S, Parikh J et al (2002) Daily average exposures to respirable particulate matter from combustion of biomass fuels in rural households of southern India. Environ Health Perspect 110(11):1069–1075

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Balakrishnan K, Ramaswamy P, Sankar S (2004) Biomass smoke and health risks: the situation in developing countries. Handbook of Environ Chem 4:219–239. doi:10.1007/b94836

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Balmes JR (2007) Biomass smoke experimental studies in humans. International Biomass Smoke Health Effects Conference, Missoula, MT, August 2007

  • Barnes B, Mathee A, Thomas E, Bruce N (2009) Household energy, indoor air pollution and child respiratory health in South Africa. J Energy Southern Africa 20(1):4–13

    Google Scholar 

  • Bautista LE, Correa A, Baumgartner J, Breysse P, Matanoski GM (2009) Indoor charcoal smoke and acute respiratory infections in young children in the Dominican Republic. Am J Epidemiol 169(5):572–580. doi:10.1093/aje/kwn372

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Behera D, Balamugesh T (2005) Indoor air pollution as a risk factor for lung cancer in women. J Assoc Physicians India 53:190–192

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Behera D, Jindal SK (1991) Respiratory symptoms in Indian women using domestic cooking fuels. Chest 100(2):385–388

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Boy E, Bruce NG, Smith KR, Hernandez R (2000) Fuel efficiency of an improved wood burning stove in rural Guatemala: implications for health, environment and development. Energy Sustain Develop 4(2):21–29

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boy E, Bruce N, Delgado H (2002) Birth weight and exposure to kitchen wood smoke during pregnancy in rural Guatemala. Environ Health Perspect 110(1):109–114

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brook RD, Franklin B, Cascio W et al (2004) Air pollution and cardiovascular disease: a statement for healthcare professionals from the Expert Panel on Population and Prevention Science of the American Heart Association. Circulation 109(21):2655–2671

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bruce N, Perez-Padilla R, Albalak R (2000) Indoor air pollution in developing countries: a major environmental and public health challenge. Bull World Health Organ 78(9):1078–1092

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bruce NG, Rehfuess EA, Smith KR (2011) Household energy solutions in developing countries. In: Nriagu JO (ed.) Encyclopdia of environmental health 5:150–161

  • Burke K, Beegle K (2004) Why children aren’t attending school: the case of northern Tanzania. J Afr Econ 13(2):333–355

    Google Scholar 

  • Caballero A, Torres-Duque CA, Jaramillo C et al (2008) Prevalence of COPD in five Colombian cities situated at low, medium, and high altitude (PREPOCOL study). Chest 133(2):343–349. doi:10.1378/chest.07-1361

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chapman RS, He X, Blair AE, Lan Q (2005) Improvement in household stoves and risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Xuanwei, China: retrospective cohort study. BMJ 331(7524):1050. doi:10.1136/bmj.38628.676088.55

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Charon D (2005)The ecostove: getting rid of nearly 90 % of kitchen wood smoke. Boiling Point 50:12–13http://www.bioenergylists.org/stovesdoc/CEIHD/bp50-ecostove.pdf. Accessed 17 May 2011

    Google Scholar 

  • Chengapa C, Edwards R, Bajpai R, Shields KN, Smith KR (2007) Impact of improved cookstoves on indoor air quality in the Bundelkland region of India. Energy Sustain Develop 11(2):33–44

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dennis RJ, Maldonado D, Norman S, Baena E, Martinez G (1996) Woodsmoke exposure and risk for obstructive airways disease among women. Chest 109(1):115–119

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dherani M, Pope D, Mascarenhas M, Smith KR, Weber M, Bruce N (2008) Indoor air pollution from unprocessed solid fuel use and pneumonia risk in children aged under five years: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Bull World Health Organ 86(5):390C–398C

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diette GB, Markson L, Skinner EA, Nguyen TTH, Algatt-Bergstrom P, Wu AW (2000) Nocturnal asthma in children affects school attendance, school performance, and parents: work attendance. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 154:923–928

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dutta K, Shiels KN, Edwards R, Smith KR (2007) Impact of improved biomass cookstoves on indoor air quality near Pune, India. Energy Sustain Develop 11:2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ekici A, Ekici M, Kurtipek E et al (2005) Obstructive airway diseases in women exposed to biomass smoke. Environ Res 99(1):93–98

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Emmelin A, Wall S (2007) Indoor air pollution: a poverty-related cause of mortality among the children of the world. Chest 132(5):1615–1623. doi:10.1378/chest.07-1398

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ezzati M, Kammen DM (2001) Quantifying the effects of exposure to indoor air pollution from biomass combustion on acute respiratory infections in developing countries. Environ Health Perspect 109(5):481–488

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ezzati M, Mbinda MB, Kammen DM (2000) Comparison of emissions and residential exposure from traditional and improved cookstoves in Kenya. Environ Sci Technol 34(4):578–583

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ezzati M, Lopez AD, Rodgers A, Vander Hoorn S, Murray CJ (2002) Selected major risk factors and global and regional burden of disease. Lancet 360(9343):1347–1360. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(02)11403-6

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Farombi EO, Hansen M, Ravn-Haren G, Moller P, Dragsted LO (2004) Commonly consumed and naturally occurring dietary substances affect biomarkers of oxidative stress and DNA damage in healthy rats. Food Chem Toxicol 42(8):1315–1322. doi:10.1016/j.fct.2004.03.009S0278691504000936

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fatmi Z, Rahman A, Kazi A, Kadir MM, Sathiakumar N (2010) Situational analysis of household energy and biomass use and associated health burden of indoor air pollution and mitigation efforts in Pakistan. Int J Environ Res Public Health 7(7):2940–2952. doi:10.3390/ijerph7072940

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Freeman NCG, Schneider D, McGarvey P (2003) Household exposure factors, asthma, and school absenteeism in a predominantly Hispanic community. J Expo Anal Environ Epidemiol 13:169–176

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gilliland FD, Berhane K, Rappaport E et al (2001) The effects of ambient air pollution on school absenteeism due to respiratory illness. Epidemiol 12(1):43–54

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gold JA, Jagirdar J, Hay JG, Addrizzo-Harris DJ, Naidich DP, Rom WN (2000) Hut lung: a domestically acquired particulate lung disease. Medicine (Baltimore) 79(5):310–317

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gonzalez-Flecha B (2004) Oxidant mechanisms in response to ambient air particles. Mol Aspects Med 25(1–2):169–182. doi:10.1016/j.mam.2004.02.017S0098299704000184

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Haile F (1991) Women fuel wood carriers in Addis Ababa and the peri-urban forest: report to International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and National Urban Planning Institute (NUPI). http://idlbnc.idrc.ca/dspace/bitstream/10625/12070/1/87909.pdf. Accessed 8 August 2011

  • International Energy Agency (2006) Energy for cooking in the developing world, chap 15. In: World energy outlook, IEA/OECD, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • International Energy Agency (2010) Energy poverty: how to make modern energy access universal. In: World Energy Outlook 2010. http://www.iea.org/weo/docs/weo2010/weo2010_poverty.pdf. Accessed 18 August 2011

  • International Energy Agency (2011) The transition to modern energy services. http://www.iea.org/weo/energy_services.asp. Accessed 28 October 2011

  • Jin Y, Zhou Z, He G et al (2005) Geographical, spatial, and temporal distributions of multiple indoor air pollutants in four Chinese provinces. Environ Sci Technol 39(24):9431–9439

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson AW, Aderele WI (1992) The association of household pollutants and socio-economic risk factors with the short-term outcome of acute lower respiratory infections in hospitalized pre-school Nigerian children. Ann Trop Paediatr 12(4):421–432

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kelly FJ (2003) Oxidative stress: its role in air pollution and adverse health effects. Occup Environ Med 60(8):612–616

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kiraz K, Kart L, Demir R et al (2003) Chronic pulmonary disease in rural women exposed to biomass fumes. Clin Invest Med 26(5):243–248

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lan RS, Chapman DM, Schreinemachers LT, And He X (2002) Household stove improvement and risk of lung cancer in Xuanwei, China. J Natl Cancer Inst 94(11):826–835

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Liu S, Zhou Y, Wang Z et al (2006) Biomass fuels are the probable risk factor of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in rural South China. Thorax published online May 4, 2007 doi:2010.1136/thx.2006.061457. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17483137. Accessed 16 May 2011

  • Liu S, Zhou Y, Wang X et al (2007) Biomass fuels are the probable risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in rural South China. Thorax 62(10):889–897. doi:10.1136/thx.2006.061457

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Martin WJ, Glass RI, Balbus JM, Collins FS (2011) A major cause of death. Sci 334:180–181

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mavlankar DV, Trivedi CR, Gray RH (1991) Levels and risk factors for perinatal mortality in Ahmedabad, India. Bull World Health Organ 69:435–442

    Google Scholar 

  • McCracken JP, Smith KR, Diaz A, Mittleman MA, Schwartz J (2007) Chimney stove intervention to reduce long-term wood smoke exposure lowers blood pressure among Guatemalan women. Environ Health Perspect 115(7):996–1001. doi:10.1289/ehp.9888

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mishra V (2003) Indoor air pollution from biomass combustion and acute respiratory illness in preschool age children in Zimbabwe. Int J Epidemiol 32(5):847–853

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mishra V, Dai X, Smith KR, Mika L (2004) Maternal exposure to biomass smoke and reduced birth weight in Zimbabwe. Ann Epidemiol 14(10):740–747

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mishra V, Retherford RD, Smith KR (2005) Cooking smoke and tobacco smoke as risk factors for stillbirth. Int J Environ Health Res 15(6):397–410

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mudway IS, Kelly FJ (2000) Ozone and the lung: a sensitive issue. Mol Aspects Med 21(1–2):1–48

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mumford JL, Li X, Hu F, Lu XB, Chuang JC (1995) Human exposure and dosimetry of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urine from Xuan Wei, China with high lung cancer mortality associated with exposure to unvented coal smoke. Carcinogenesis 16(12):3031–3036

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Naeher LP, Brauer M, Lipsett M, Zelikoff JT, Simpson CD, Koenig JQ, Smith KR (2007) Woodsmoke health effects: a review. Inhal Toxicol 19(1):157–162

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nankhuni FJ, Findeis JL (2004) Natural resource-collection work and children’s schooling in Malawi. Agric Econ 31:123–134

    Google Scholar 

  • Ndiritu SW, Nyangena W (2010) Environmental goods collection and children’s schooling: evidence from Kenya. Environ Develop 10–18. http://www.efdinitiative.org/research/publications/publicationsrepository/environmental-goods-collection-and-children2019s-schooling-evidence-from-kenya. Accessed 08 August 2011

  • Nel A (2005) Atmosphere: air pollution-related illness—effects of particles. Science 308(5723):804–806. doi:10.1126/science.1108752

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Noonan CW, Balmes JR, The Health Outcome Workgroup (2009) Biomass smoke exposure: health outcomes measures and study design. Inhal Toxicol 1–5

  • O’Brien C (2010) Introducing alcohol stoves to refugee communities. Health, Safety and Household Energy, issue 52. http://www.hedon.info/IntroducingAlcoholStovesToRefugeeCommunities. Accessed 18 August 2011.

  • Orozco-Levi M, Garcia-Aymerich J, Villar J, Ramirez-Sarmiento A, Anto JM, Gea J (2006) Wood smoke exposure and risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Eur Respir J 27(3):542–546. doi:10.1183/09031936.06.00052705

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Padhi BK, Padhy PK (2008) Domestic fuels, indoor air pollution, and children’s health. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1140:209–217. doi:10.1196/annals.1454.015

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pennise D, Brant S, Ageve SM, Quaye W, Mengesha F, Tadele W, Wofchuck T (2009) Indoor air quality impacts on improved wood stove in Ghana and an ethanol stove in Ethiopia. Energy Sustain Develop 13(2):71–76

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Po JYT, Fitzgerald JM, Carlsten C (2011) Respiratory disease associated with solid biomass fuel exposure in rural women and children: systematic review and meta-analysis. Thorax 66:232–239

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pokhrel AK, Smith KR, Khalakdina A, Deuja A, Bates MN (2005) Case-control study of indoor cooking smoke exposure and cataract in Nepal and India. Int J Epidemiol 34(3):702–708. doi:10.1093/ije/dyi015

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rehfuess EA, Bruce NG, Smith KR (2011) Solid fuel use: health effect. In: Nriagu JO (ed) Encyclopdia of environmental health, vol 5, Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 150–161. http://s3.amazonaws.com/zanran_storage/sph.berkeley.edu/ContentPages/2508604647.pdf. Accessed 28 October 2011

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Riojas-Rodriguez H, Romano-Riquer P, Santos-Burgoa C, Smith KR (2001) Household firewood use and the health of children and women of Indian communities in Chiapas, Mexico. Int J Occup Environ Health 7(1):44–53

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Risom L, Moller P, Loft S (2005) Oxidative stress-induced DNA damage by particulate air pollution. Mutat Res 592(1–2):119–137. doi:10.1016/j.mrfmmm.2005.06.012

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roden CA, Bond TC, Conway S, Pinel ABO, MaCarty N, Still D (2009) Laboratory and field investigations of particulate and carbon monoxide emissions from traditional and improved cookstoves. Atmos Environ 43(6):1170–1181

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Romieu I, Castro-Giner F, Kunzli N, Sunyer J (2008) Air pollution, oxidative stress and dietary supplementation: a review. Eur Respir J 31(1):179–197

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Romieu I, Riojas-Rodriguez H, Marron-Mares AT, Schilmann A, Perez-Padilla R, Masera O (2009) Improved biomass stove intervention in rural Mexico: impact on the respiratory health of women. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 180(7):649–656. doi:10.1164/rccm.200810-1556OC

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Saha A, Kulkarni PK, Shah A, Patel M, Saiyed HN (2005a) Ocular morbidity and fuel use: an experience from India. Occup Environ Med 62(1):66–69

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Saha A, Rao NM, Kulkarni PK, Majumdar PK, Saiyed HN (2005b) Pulmonary function and fuel use: a population survey. Respir Res 6:127. doi:10.1186/1465-9921-6-127

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Salvi S, Barnes P (2010) Is exposure to biomass smoke the biggest risk factor for COPD globally? Chest 138(1):3–5

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sapkota A, Gajalakshmi V, Jetly DH et al (2008) Indoor air pollution from solid fuels and risk of hypopharyngeal/laryngeal and lung cancers: a multicentric case-control study from India. Int J Epidemiol 37(2):321–328. doi:10.1093/ije/dym261

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Saxon A, Diaz-Sanchez D (2005) Air pollution and allergy: you are what you breathe. Nat Immunol 6(3):223–226. doi:10.1038/ni0305-223

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schlesinger RB, Kunzli N, Hidy GM, Gotschi T, Jerrett M (2006) The health relevance of ambient particulate matter characteristics: coherence of toxicological and epidemiological inferences. Inhal Toxicol 18(2):95–125. doi:10.1080/08958370500306016

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shei MA, Hessen JO, Smith KR, Bruce N, McCraken J, Lopez V (2004) Childhood asthma and indoor woodsmoke from cooking in Guatemala. J Expo Anal Environ Epidemiol 14:S110–S117

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Siddhartha S (2008) Indoor air pollution and women: health in the informal sector. Post Doctoral Project Report, No. PHW-082/03-04 (ERO). Dinhata College, Dinhata, India. http://www.hedon.info/docs/UGC_IndoorAirPollutionWomenHealthPR-FINAL-SSarkar.pdf. Accessed 05 June 2011

  • Smith KR, Mehta S (2003) The burden of disease from indoor air pollution in developing countries: comparison of estimates. Int J Hyg Environ Health 206(4–5):279–289

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smith KR, Samet JM, Romieu I, Bruce N (2000a) Indoor air pollution in developing countries and acute lower respiratory infections in children. Thorax 55(6):518–532

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smith KR, Zhang J, Uma R, Kishore V, Joshi V, Khalil M (2000b) Greenhouse implications of household fuels: an analysis for India. Annu Rev Energy Environ 25:741–763

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith KR, Mehta S, Maeusezahl-Feuz M (2004) Indoor air pollution from household use of solid fuels. In: Ezzati M, Lopez AD, Rodgers A, Murray JL (eds) Comparative quantification of health risks: global and regional burden of disease attributable to selected major risk factors. World Health Organization, Geneva, pp 1435–1493

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith-Severtsen T, Diaz E, Pope D (2009) Effect of reducing indoor air pollution on women’s respiratory symptoms and lung function: the RESPIRE Randomized Trial, Guatemala. Am J Epidemiol 170(2):211–220

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sood A, Peterson H, Blanchette C et al (2009) Wood smoke-associated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) underappreciated in the United States. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 179:A4742, http://ajrccm.atsjournals.org/cgi/content/citation/179/1_MeetingAbstracts/A4742. Accessed 14 July 2011

    Google Scholar 

  • Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) (2008) Household energy in developing countries: a burning issue. http://sei-international.org/mediamanager/documents/Projects/Climate/household_energy_pb_090603_fxj.pdf. Accessed 28 October 2011

  • Tielsch JM, Katz J, Thulasiraj RD et al (2009) Exposure to indoor biomass fuel and tobacco smoke and risk of adverse reproductive outcomes, mortality, respiratory morbidity and growth among newborn infants in south India. Int J Epidemiol 38(5):1351–1363. doi:10.1093/ije/dyp286

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Torres-Duque C, Maldonado D, Perez-Padilla R, Ezzati M, Viegi G (2008) Biomass fuels and respiratory diseases: a review of the evidence. Proc Am Thorac Soc 5(5):577–590. doi:10.1513/pats.200707-100RP

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Velema JP, Ferrera A, Figueroa M et al (2002) Burning wood in the kitchen increases the risk of cervical neoplasia in HPV-infected women in Honduras. Int J Cancer 97(4):536–541. doi:10.1002/ijc.1622

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Viegi G, Simoni M, Scognamiglio A et al (2004) Indoor air pollution and airway disease. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis 8(12):1401–1415

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Warwick H, Diog A (2004) Smoke: the killer in the kitchen—indoor air pollution in developing countries, ITDG, London. https://mail.bsd.uchicago.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://practicalaction.org/docs/smoke/itdg%2520smoke%2520report.pdf. Accessed 04 July 2011

  • World Bank (1993) Investing in health. World Development Report 1993, Oxford University Press, New York. http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=5513&page=14. Accessed 22 July 2011

  • World Bank (2003) Household fuel energy use in developing countries: a multicountry study. http://www.esmap.org/esmap/sites/esmap.org/files/Report_FuelUseMulticountryStudy_05.pdf. Accessed 01 November 2011

  • World Bank/Africa Renewable Energy Access Program (2011) Wood-based biomass energy development for sub-Saharan Africa. http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTAFRREGTOPENERGY/Resources/717305-1266613906108/BiomassEnergyPaper_WEB_Zoomed75.pdf. Accessed 28 October 2011

  • World Health Organization (2006) Fuel for life: household energy and health. http://www.who.int/indoorair/publications/fuelforlife.pdf. Accessed 03 May 2011

  • World Health Organization (2007) Indoor air pollution and lower respiratory tract infections in children. Report of a symposium and workshop held at the International Society of Environmental Epidemiology, Paris, 4 September 2006, WHO, Geneva. http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2007/9789241595728_eng.pdf. Accessed 16 June 2011

  • World Health Organization (2009) Global health risk: mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected major risk. WHO, Geneva. https://mail.bsd.uchicago.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.ariatlas.org/tools/downloads/files/ARIA.pdf. Accessed 14 July 2011

  • World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Development Program (UNDP) (2009) The Energy Access Situation in Developing Countries. United Nation Development Program, New York. http://content.undp.org/go/cms-service/stream/asset/?asset_id=2205620. Accessed 10 May 2011

  • Zhang J, Smith KR (2003) Indoor air pollution: a global health concern. Br Med Bull 68:209–225

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhong N, Wang C, Yao W, Chen P, Kang J, Huang S et al (2007) Prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in China: a large, population-based survey. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 176(8):753–760. doi:10.1164/rccm.200612-1749OC

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zuk M, Rojas L, Blanco S, Serrano P, Cruz J, Anheles F, Tzintzun G, Armendariz C, Edwards RD, Johnson M, Riojas-Rodriguez H, Masera O (2007) The impact of improved wood-burning stoves on the fine particulate matter concentrations in rural Mexican homes. J Expos Sci Environ Epidemiol 17(3):224–232

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Global Health Initiative, University of Chicago, 5841 S. Maryland Avenue, MC 6076, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA

    Oluwafemi Oluwole, Oluwatofunmi O. Otaniyi & Christopher O. Olopade

  2. College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

    Godson A. Ana

Authors
  1. Oluwafemi Oluwole
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Oluwatofunmi O. Otaniyi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Godson A. Ana
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Christopher O. Olopade
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christopher O. Olopade.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Oluwole, O., Otaniyi, O.O., Ana, G.A. et al. Indoor air pollution from biomass fuels: a major health hazard in developing countries. J Public Health 20, 565–575 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-012-0511-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-012-0511-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation