Dataset Information

Pollutant exposures from natural gas cooking burners: a simulation-based assessment for Southern California.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Residential natural gas cooking burners (NGCBs) can emit substantial quantities of pollutants, and they are typically used without venting range hoods.

Objective

We quantified pollutant concentrations and occupant exposures resulting from NGCB use in California homes.

Methods

A mass-balance model was applied to estimate time-dependent pollutant concentrations throughout homes in Southern California and the exposure concentrations experienced by individual occupants. We estimated nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and formaldehyde (HCHO) concentrations for 1 week each in summer and winter for a representative sample of Southern California homes. The model simulated pollutant emissions from NGCBs as well as NO2 and CO entry from outdoors, dilution throughout the home, and removal by ventilation and deposition. Residence characteristics and outdoor concentrations of NO2 and CO were obtained from available databases. We inferred ventilation rates, occupancy patterns, and burner use from household characteristics. We also explored proximity to the burner(s) and the benefits of using venting range hoods. Replicate model executions using independently generated sets of stochastic variable values yielded estimated pollutant concentration distributions with geometric means varying by <10%.

Results

The simulation model estimated that-in homes using NGCBs without coincident use of venting range hoods-62%, 9%, and 53% of occupants are routinely exposed to NO2, CO, and HCHO levels that exceed acute health-based standards and guidelines. NGCB use increased the sample median of the highest simulated 1-hr indoor concentrations by 100, 3,000, and 20 ppb for NO2, CO, and HCHO, respectively.

Conclusions

Reducing pollutant exposures from NGCBs should be a public health priority. Simulation results suggest that regular use of even moderately effective venting range hoods would dramatically reduce the percentage of homes in which concentrations exceed health-based standards.

SUBMITTER: Logue JM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3888569 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Pollutant exposures from natural gas cooking burners: a simulation-based assessment for Southern California.

Logue Jennifer M JM Klepeis Neil E NE Lobscheid Agnes B AB Singer Brett C BC

Environmental health perspectives 20131105 1

<h4>Background</h4>Residential natural gas cooking burners (NGCBs) can emit substantial quantities of pollutants, and they are typically used without venting range hoods.<h4>Objective</h4>We quantified pollutant concentrations and occupant exposures resulting from NGCB use in California homes.<h4>Methods</h4>A mass-balance model was applied to estimate time-dependent pollutant concentrations throughout homes in Southern California and the exposure concentrations experienced by individual occupan ...[more]

PMID: 24192135

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Dataset Information

Pollutant exposures from natural gas cooking burners: a simulation-based assessment for Southern California.

Background

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Pollutant exposures from natural gas cooking burners: a simulation-based assessment for Southern California.

Similar Datasets

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