Household carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations in a large African city: An unquantified public health burden?

TY - JOUR

T1 - Household carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations in a large African city

T2 - An unquantified public health burden?

AU - Orina, F.

AU - Amukoye, E.

AU - Bowyer, C.

AU - Chakaya, J.

AU - Das, D.

AU - Devereux, G.

AU - Dobson, R.

AU - Dragosits, U.

AU - Gray, C.

AU - Kiplimo, R.

AU - Lesosky, M.

AU - Loh, M.

AU - Meme, H.

AU - Mortimer, K.

AU - Ndombi, A.

AU - Pearson, C.

AU - Price, H.

AU - Twigg, M.

AU - West, S.

AU - Semple, S.

N1 - Funding Information: Funded by UKRI MRC/Kenya National Research Fund (NRF) UK-Kenya Joint Partnership on Non-Communicable Disease programme under the Newton fund MR/S009027/1. Sensitisation activities additionally funded by Wellcome Public Engagement Fund 218935/Z/19/Z. For the purpose of open access, the author has applied a CC BY public copyright licence (where permitted by UKRI, \u2018Open Government Licence\u2019 or \u2018CC BY-ND public copyright licence may be stated instead) to any Author Accepted Manuscript version arising\u2019.The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests:Sean Semple reports financial support was provided by UKRI Medical Research Council. Sean Semple reports financial support was provided by Kenya National Research Fund. Sean Semple reports financial support was provided by Wellcome Public Engagement Fund. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. Funding Information: Funded by UKRI MRC/Kenya National Research Fund (NRF) UK-Kenya Joint Partnership on Non-Communicable Disease programme under the Newton fund MR/S009027/1. Sensitisation activities additionally funded by Wellcome Public Engagement Fund 218935/Z/19/Z. For the purpose of open access, the author has applied a CC BY public copyright licence (where permitted by UKRI, \u2018Open Government Licence\u2019 or \u2018CC BY-ND public copyright licence may be stated instead) to any Author Accepted Manuscript version arising\u2019. Publisher Copyright: © 2024 The Authors

PY - 2024/6/15

Y1 - 2024/6/15

N2 - Carbon monoxide (CO) is a poisonous gas produced by incomplete combustion of carbon-based fuels that is linked to mortality and morbidity. Household air pollution from burning fuels on poorly ventilated stoves can lead to high concentrations of CO in homes. There are few datasets available on household concentrations of CO in urban areas of sub-Saharan African countries. CO was measured every minute over 24 h in a sample of homes in Nairobi, Kenya. Data on household characteristics were gathered by questionnaire. Metrics of exposure were summarised and analysis of temporal changes in concentration was performed. Continuous 24-h data were available from 138 homes. The mean (SD), median (IQR) and maximum 24-h CO concentration was 4.9 (6.4), 2.8 (1.0–6.3) and 44 ppm, respectively. 50% of homes had detectable CO concentrations for 847 min (14h07m) or longer during the 24-h period, and 9% of homes would have activated a CO-alarm operating to European specifications. An association between a metric of total CO exposure and self-reported exposure to vapours >15 h per week was identified, however this were not statistically significant after adjustment for the multiple comparisons performed. Mean concentrations were broadly similar in homes from a more affluent area and an informal settlement. A model of typical exposure suggests that cooking is likely to be responsible for approximately 60% of the CO exposure of Nairobi schoolchildren. Household CO concentrations are substantial in Nairobi, Kenya, despite most homes using gas or liquid fuels. Concentrations tend to be highest during the evening, probably associated with periods of cooking. Household air pollution from cooking is the main source of CO exposure of Nairobi schoolchildren. The public health impacts of long-term CO exposure in cities in sub-Saharan Africa may be considerable and should be studied further.

AB - Carbon monoxide (CO) is a poisonous gas produced by incomplete combustion of carbon-based fuels that is linked to mortality and morbidity. Household air pollution from burning fuels on poorly ventilated stoves can lead to high concentrations of CO in homes. There are few datasets available on household concentrations of CO in urban areas of sub-Saharan African countries. CO was measured every minute over 24 h in a sample of homes in Nairobi, Kenya. Data on household characteristics were gathered by questionnaire. Metrics of exposure were summarised and analysis of temporal changes in concentration was performed. Continuous 24-h data were available from 138 homes. The mean (SD), median (IQR) and maximum 24-h CO concentration was 4.9 (6.4), 2.8 (1.0–6.3) and 44 ppm, respectively. 50% of homes had detectable CO concentrations for 847 min (14h07m) or longer during the 24-h period, and 9% of homes would have activated a CO-alarm operating to European specifications. An association between a metric of total CO exposure and self-reported exposure to vapours >15 h per week was identified, however this were not statistically significant after adjustment for the multiple comparisons performed. Mean concentrations were broadly similar in homes from a more affluent area and an informal settlement. A model of typical exposure suggests that cooking is likely to be responsible for approximately 60% of the CO exposure of Nairobi schoolchildren. Household CO concentrations are substantial in Nairobi, Kenya, despite most homes using gas or liquid fuels. Concentrations tend to be highest during the evening, probably associated with periods of cooking. Household air pollution from cooking is the main source of CO exposure of Nairobi schoolchildren. The public health impacts of long-term CO exposure in cities in sub-Saharan Africa may be considerable and should be studied further.

KW - Ambient air pollution

KW - Household air pollution

KW - Human exposure

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85191793673&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124054

DO - 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124054

M3 - Article

C2 - 38677455

AN - SCOPUS:85191793673

SN - 0269-7491

VL - 351

JO - Environmental Pollution

JF - Environmental Pollution

IS - 124054

M1 - 124054

ER -