Impact Assessment of Cookstove Emission on Indoor Environment

Human health is highly affected by indoor air quality and especially the emissions caused during cooking. Rural regions of India still use traditional cookstoves like chulha and fuel such as wood for cooking. In this study, the emissions, fuel consumption, and risk on human health from traditional and improved cookstoves were compared. The study was conducted in Lulka Village, Raisen, Madhya Pradesh state of India in 19 houses of the village, in two phases, for 14 days, with each household using a traditional cookstove (chulha) and improved cookstove (Shri stove) for seven days each. Air quality parameters of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), carbon monoxide (CO), and hydrocarbons (CxHx) from each cookstove were evaluated. The results show that the concentrations of PM2.5, CO, and CxHx for chulha ranged from 237 to 579 μg/m3, 125 to 340 ppm, and 0.182% to 0.05%, respectively, whereas for shri stove the concentrations of PM2.5, CO, and CxHx ranged from 99 to 223 μg/m3, 78 to 212 ppm, and 0.012% to 0.058%, respectively. The reduction in PM2.5, CO, CxHx, and fuel consumption is found to be 47.73%, 35.47%, 51%, and 17.63%, respectively, when the improved cookstove was in use.