Extreme Exposure Levels of PCDD/Fs Inhaled from Biomass Burning Activity for Cooking in Typical Rural Households.

Abstract

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), emitted during biomass combustion, are carcinogenic chemicals. The association between indoor biomass burning and PCDD/Fs inhalation exposure levels is still poorly understood. This study first reports direct measurement of personal exposure to PCDD/Fs in real-world households with wood combustion. In homes where biomass burning is used for cooking, toxic equivalent quantity (TEQ) PCDD/Fs concentrations were found to be 545 ± 251 fg I-TEQ/m3 in kitchens, with levels of 4.5-, 6.9-, and 13.3-fold higher than those in living rooms (122 ± 92 fg I-TEQ/m3), bedrooms (79 ± 27 fg I-TEQ/m3), and ambient air (41 ± 15 fg I-TEQ/m3), respectively. PCDD/Fs exposure levels in populations using biomass fuels for cooking (353 ± 110 fg I-TEQ/m3) were 4.3-fold higher than those in the control groups (82 ± 32 fg I-TEQ/m3). Additionally, the average cancer risks for biomass cooking person were approximately 3.1-fold higher than those in factory workers. Overall, residents of household that use biomass fuels for cooking have the highest known risk of PCDD/Fs exposure. These results highlight that aiming to mitigate the PCDD/Fs exposure risk in the general population, the focus of dioxin emission source control measures should shift from industrial sectors to residential biomass combustion.