A Cross-province Analysis of Urban and Rural Human Exposure of Indoor PM2.5 in India

Abstract

 In developing countries, most households use solid fuels (coal or biomass as wood, crop residues and animal dung). Particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) produced through indoor combustion of these fuels for cooking, heating and lighting has an adverse impact on people's health. We estimated PM2.5 personal exposure concentration in each indoor microenvironment for each personal group of urban and rural area in 29 states of India, using detailed statistical data on time use, domestic energy consumption, household and housing condition. The study found that, unemployed women between the ages of 35 and 64 using fire wood for cooking had higher estimate for PM2.5 personal exposure concentration during cooking than the other personal groups. The highest personal exposure concentration is 1033 μg/m³ for unemployed women in rural Rajasthan. Men are less affected by indoor PM2.5 than women, however, unemployed elderly men are more affected by indoor PM2.5 then employed women between the ages of 35 and 64.