Comparative Studies of Carbon Monoxide (CO) Exposure in Homes Using Different Cooking Fuels

In-situ atmospheric monitoring of carbon monoxide (CO) was carried out in ten homes where n-butane gas, kerosene stove and firewood were used as cooking fuels respectively. Of the ten houses, four houses surveyed used n-butane gas only as the fuel type, four other houses used kerosene stove only while the last two houses used firewood only. A dosimeter, humidity/ temperature meter were used in determining the concentrations of the CO, the humidity and the temperatures in the selected homes in urban environments. The diurnal trends of carbon monoxide were monitored for about six weeks in these homes. Health Impact Assessment (HIA) was conducted in these homes using the different cooking fuels after baseline levels of carbon monoxide concentration in the homes were assessed during cooking hours and non–cooking hours. A total of 59 respondents drawn from the ten selected homes were interviewed concerning their experiences of symptoms suggestive of exposure to carbon monoxide. A total of 28 (47.5%) respondents reported had symptoms suggestive of exposure to carbon monoxide. CO levels was highest in the houses were firewood was used as the fuel source and lowest in the houses where n-butane gas was used. However, comparing the results obtained with the World Health Organization and Federal Ministry of Environment standards of 9ppm and 10ppm respectively, the CO values were found to be above limits in some of the houses where n-butane gas, kerosene were used and above the set limits in all the houses where firewood were used as cooking fuel. CO Routine monitoring is recommended and the discontinuous use of firewood as cooking fuel should be strongly enforced not only to reduce the CO concentration but also minimize deforestation.