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Stunting adversely affects physical and mental outcomes of children. It has not been examined whether household air pollution from solid fuel combustion is a risk factor for stunting in children. In a total of 41,439 children aged 6-17 across China, height was measured using a unified protocol. Multivariable linear regression models and logistic regression models were used to assess the associations of solid fuel use for cooking/heating with stunting in children. Adjusted for covariates, cooking/heating with solid fuel was significantly associated with a lower z-score for height for age and sex (β = -0.21 [-0.32 to -0.09] and -0.17 [-0.31 to -0.03], respectively) and an increased risk of stunting with an estimated ORs of 1.34 [1.07~1.68] and 1.37 [1.02~1.83], respectively. The risk of stunting associated with solid fuel use was statistically significant in high-age children. And the effect was greater on girls than on boys, though the difference was not statistically significant. Our study suggested that Chinese children living in households using solid fuel had a significantly higher risk of stunting than those living in households using cleaner fuel., (© 2019 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

A six-month winter-spring study was conducted in a suburb of the northern European city of Kuopio, Finland, to identify and quantify factors determining daily personal exposure and home indoor levels of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 , diameter <2.5 µm) and its light absorption coefficient (PM 2.5abs ), a proxy for combustion-derived black carbon. Moreover, determinants of home indoor ozone (O 3 ) concentration were examined. Local central site outdoor, home indoor, and personal daily levels of pollutants were monitored in this suburb among 37 elderly residents. Outdoor concentrations of the pollutants were significant determinants of their levels in home indoor air and personal exposures. Natural ventilation in the detached and row houses increased personal exposure to PM 2.5 , but not to PM 2.5abs , when compared with mechanical ventilation. Only cooking out of the recorded household activities increased indoor PM 2.5 . The use of a wood stove room heater or wood-fired sauna stove was associated with elevated concentrations of personal PM 2.5 and PM 2.5abs , and indoor PM 2.5abs . Candle burning increased daily indoor and personal PM 2.5abs , and it was also a determinant of indoor ozone level. In conclusion, relatively short-lasting wood and candle burning of a few hours increased residents' daily exposure to potentially hazardous, combustion-derived carbonaceous particulate matter., (© 2019 The Authors. Indoor Air published by published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Alaska Native children experience high rates of respiratory infections and conditions. Household crowding, indoor smoke, lack of piped water, and poverty have been associated with respiratory infections. We describe the baseline household characteristics of children with severe or chronic lung disease participating in a 2012-2015 indoor air study. We monitored indoor PM2.5, CO 2 , relative humidity %, temperature, and VOCs and interviewed caregivers about children's respiratory symptoms. We evaluated the association between reported children's respiratory symptoms and indoor air quality indicators using multiple logistic regression analysis. Compared with general US households, study households were more likely overcrowded 73% (62%-82%) vs 3.2% (3.1%-3.3%); had higher woodstove use as primary heat source 16% (9%-25%) vs 2.1% (2.0%-2.2%); and higher proportion of children in a household with a smoker 49% (38%-60%) vs 26.2% (25.5%-26.8%). Median PM2.5 was 33 μg/m 3 . Median CO 2 was 1401 ppm. VOCs were detectable in all homes. VOCs, smoker, primary wood heat, and PM2.5>25 μg/m 3 were associated with higher risk for cough between colds; VOCs were associated with higher risk for wheeze between colds and asthma diagnosis. High indoor air pollutant levels were associated with respiratory symptoms in household children, likely related to overcrowding, poor ventilation, woodstove use, and tobacco smoke., (Published 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.)

Although many studies have reported the health effects of biomass fuels in developing countries, relatively few have quantitatively characterized emissions from biomass stoves during cooking and heating. The aim of this pilot study was to characterize the emission characteristics of different biomass stoves in four rural houses in Bhutan during heating (metal chimney stove), rice cooking (traditional mud stove), fodder preparation (stone tripod stove), and liquor distillation (traditional mud stove). Three stage measurements (before, during, and after the activity had ceased) were conducted for PM 2.5 , particle number (PN), CO, and CO 2 . When stoves were operated, the pollutant concentrations were significantly elevated above background levels, by an average of 40 and 18 times for PM 2.5 and CO, respectively. Emission rates (mg/min) ranged from 1.07 × 10 2 (PM 2.5 ) and 3.50 × 10 2 (CO) for the stone tripod stove during fodder preparation to 6.20 × 10 2 (PM 2.5 ) and 2.22 × 10 3 (CO) for the traditional mud stove during liquor distillation. Usable PN data were only available for one house, during heating using a metal chimney stove, which presented an emission rate of 3.24 × 10 13 particles/min. Interventions to control household air pollution in Bhutan, in order to reduce the health risks associated with cooking and heating, are recommended., (© 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The Chinese national pollution census has indicated that the domestic burning of solid fuels is an important contributor to nitrogen dioxide (NO2 ) and sulfur dioxide (SO2 ) emissions in China. To characterize indoor NO2 and SO2 air concentrations in relation to solid fuel use and stove ventilation in the rural counties of Xuanwei and Fuyuan, in Yunnan Province, China, which have among the highest lung cancer rates in the nation, a total of 163 participants in 30 selected villages were enrolled. Indoor 24-h NO2 and SO2 samples were collected in each household over two consecutive days. Compared to smoky coal, smokeless coal use was associated with higher NO2 concentrations [geometric mean (GM) = 132 μg/m(3) for smokeless coal and 111 μg/m(3) for smoky coal, P = 0.065] and SO2 [limit of detection = 24 μg/m(3) ; percentage detected (%Detect) = 86% for smokeless coal and 40% for smoky coal, P < 0.001]. Among smoky coal users, significant variation of NO2 and SO2 air concentrations was observed across different stove designs and smoky coal sources in both counties. Model construction indicated that the measurements of both pollutants were influenced by stove design. This exposure assessment study has identified high levels of NO2 and SO2 as a result of burning solid fuels for cooking and heating., (© 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Black carbon (BC) emissions from solid fuel combustion are associated with increased morbidity and mortality and are important drivers of climate change. We studied BC measurements, approximated by particulate matter (PM2.5 ) absorbance, in rural Yunnan province, China, whose residents use a variety of solid fuels for cooking and heating including bituminous and anthracite coal, and wood. Measurements were taken over two consecutive 24-h periods from 163 households in 30 villages. PM2.5 absorbance (PMabs ) was measured using an EEL 043 Smoke Stain Reflectometer. PMabs measurements were higher in wood burning households (16.3 × 10(-5) /m) than bituminous and anthracite coal households (12 and 5.1 × 10(-5) /m, respectively). Among bituminous coal users, measurements varied by a factor of two depending on the coal source. Portable stoves (which are lit outdoors and brought indoors for use) were associated with reduced PMabs levels, but no other impact of stove design was observed. Outdoor measurements were positively correlated with and approximately half the level of indoor measurements (r = 0.49, P < 0.01). Measurements of BC (as approximated by PMabs ) in this population are modulated by fuel type and source. This provides valuable insight into potential morbidity, mortality, and climate change contributions of domestic usage of solid fuels., (© 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The effects of bedroom air quality on sleep and next-day performance were examined in two field-intervention experiments in single-occupancy student dormitory rooms. The occupants, half of them women, could adjust an electric heater to maintain thermal comfort but they experienced two bedroom ventilation conditions, each maintained for 1 week, in balanced order. In the initial pilot experiment (N = 14), bedroom ventilation was changed by opening a window (the resulting average CO2 level was 2585 or 660 ppm). In the second experiment (N = 16), an inaudible fan in the air intake vent was either disabled or operated whenever CO2 levels exceeded 900 ppm (the resulting average CO2 level was 2395 or 835 ppm). Bedroom air temperatures varied over a wide range but did not differ between ventilation conditions. Sleep was assessed from movement data recorded on wristwatch-type actigraphs and subjects reported their perceptions and their well-being each morning using online questionnaires. Two tests of next-day mental performance were applied. Objectively measured sleep quality and the perceived freshness of bedroom air improved significantly when the CO2 level was lower, as did next-day reported sleepiness and ability to concentrate and the subjects' performance of a test of logical thinking., (© 2015 The Authors. Indoor Air published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

During 13 winter weeks, an experimental archeology project was undertaken in two Danish reconstructed Viking Age houses with indoor open fireplaces. Volunteers inhabited the houses under living conditions similar to those of the Viking Age, including cooking and heating by wood fire. Carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter (PM2.5 ) were measured at varying distances to the fireplace. Near the fireplaces CO (mean) was 16 ppm. PM2.5 (mean) was 3.40 mg/m(3) , however, measured in one house only. The CO:PM mass ratio was found to increase from 6.4 to 22 when increasing the distance to the fire. Two persons carried CO sensors. Average personal exposure was 6.9 ppm, and from this, a personal PM2.5 exposure of 0.41 mg/m(3) was estimated. The levels found here were higher than reported from modern studies conducted in dwellings using biomass for cooking and heating. While this may be due to the Viking house design, the volunteer's lack of training in attending a fire maybe also played a role. Even so, when comparing to today's issues arising from the use of open fires, it must be assumed that also during the Viking Age, the exposure to woodsmoke was a contributing factor to health problems., (© 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Three human test series were conducted to evaluate the uniformity of the thermal environments in a stratum-ventilated chamber with dimensions of 8.8 m (L) × 5.1 m (W) × 2.4 m (H). In all, nineteen conditions were generated by adjusting the room temperature, supply airflow rate, and supply terminal type. An air diffuser performance index (ADPI) of at least 80% was achieved for most cases. This result shows that the air velocity and temperature in the occupied zone are reasonably uniform. Subjective assessments using the ASHRAE 7-point scale indicate that the thermal sensations of the subjects in stratum ventilation are also uniform. This study examines the applicability of the predicted mean vote (PMV) model for evaluating stratum ventilation. When compared to the actual mean thermal sensation votes (ATS), the PMV values are acceptable. The PMV results at a height of 1.1 m above the floor show better agreement with the ATS than at a height of 0.1 m., (© 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Unlabelled: Measurements of combustion product concentrations were taken in 30 homes where unvented gas fireplaces were used. Measurements of CO, CO(2), NO(x), NO(2) , O(2) (depletion), and water vapor were taken at 1-min interval. The analyzers were calibrated with certified calibration gases for each placement and were in operation for 3-4 days at each home. Measured concentrations were compared to published health-based standards and guidelines. The two combustion gases that exceeded published values were NO(2) and CO. For NO(2) , the Health Canada guideline of 250 ppb (1-h average) was exceeded in about 43% of the sample and the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline of 110 ppb (1-h average) was exceeded in 80% of the sample. Carbon monoxide levels exceeded the U.S. EPA 8-h average standard of 9 ppm in 20% of the sample. Moisture problems were not evident in the test homes. An analysis of the distribution of CO showed that the CO is dispersed throughout the home almost immediately upon operation of the fireplace and that the concentrations throughout the home away from the immediate vicinity of the fireplace are 70-80% of the level near the fireplace. Decay analysis of the combustion gases showed that NO was similarly stable to CO and CO(2) in the indoor environment but that both NO(2) and water vapor were removed from the air at much greater rates., Practical Implications: Previous studies on unvented gas fireplaces have made assumptions of how they are operated by users. This article presents the results of field monitoring of 30 unvented gas fireplaces under normal operation, regardless of whether users follow industry recommendations regarding installation, usage patterns, and maintenance. The monitoring found that health-based standards and guidelines were exceeded for CO in 20% of homes and for NO(2) in most homes. There were no identified moisture problems in these homes. Nearly, half of the fireplaces were used at least once for longer than 2 h, counter to manufacturers' intended usage as supplemental heating. This demonstrates that given actual usage patterns and compared to current health-based thresholds, these appliances can produce indoor air concentrations considered to be unhealthy to at least sensitive or at-risk individuals.

Unlabelled: Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is produced from the exhausts of vehicles and gas appliances and is known to pose certain health risks. In this study, we characterize the exposure to this substance during the first year of life, which is an important period of development. To this end, we used passive samplers to measure indoor and outdoor NO2 levels for 2 weeks in the homes of 352 children. To compensate for the fact that NO2 levels were measured only once in each home, a correction factor was calculated to assign each child an outdoor NO2 exposure value for the first year of life. The outdoor NO2 concentrations were 26.1 microg/m(3) while those measured indoors averaged 18.0 microg/m(3). A multivariate linear regression analysis showed that the main determinants of outdoor NO2 levels were the degree of urbanization and the frequency of vehicle traffic at the location of the residence while for indoor NO2 levels the principal determinants were the type of cooking range and water heater present in the home, the season of the year, and both the country of origin and educational level of the mother., Practical Implications: Exposure to NO2 has been related to respiratory and other health problems among children. Precise identification of the main sources of both indoor and outdoor NO2 should shed light on appropriate intervention periods and methods. Our results indicate that while population density and traffic-related variables are the main determinants of outdoor NO2 levels, the use of gas appliances have the greatest impact on indoor levels. Strategies should thus be developed to reduce such exposure, especially with regard to reducing emissions from vehicle traffic.

Unlabelled: Houses in New Zealand have inadequate space heating and a third of households use unflued gas heaters. As part of a large community intervention trial to improve space heating, we replaced ineffective heaters with more effective, non-polluting heaters. This paper assesses the contribution of heating and household factors to indoor NO2 in almost 350 homes and reports on the reduction in NO2 levels due to heater replacement. Homes using unflued gas heaters had more than three times the level of NO2 in living rooms [geometric mean ratio (GMR) = 3.35, 95% CI: 2.83-3.96, P < 0.001] than homes without unflued gas heaters, whereas homes using gas stove-tops had significantly elevated living room NO2 levels (GMR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.05-1.93, P = 0.02). Homes with heat pumps, flued gas heating, or enclosed wood burners had significantly lower levels of NO2 in living areas and bedrooms. In homes that used unflued gas heaters as their main form of heating at baseline, the intervention was associated with a two-third (67%) reduction in NO2 levels in living rooms, when compared with homes that continued to use unflued gas heaters. Reducing the use of unflued gas heating would substantially lower NO2 exposure in New Zealand homes., Practical Implications: Understanding the factors influencing indoor NO2 levels is critical for the assessment and control of indoor air pollution. This study found that homes that used unflued gas combustion appliances for heating and cooking had higher NO2 levels compared with homes where other fuels were used. These findings require institutional incentives to increase the use of more effective, less polluting fuels, particularly in the home environment.

Unlabelled: The objective of this research was to investigate the effect of various temperatures, room, 37 and 50 degrees C, on formaldehyde emission from floor materials, such as laminate and plywood floorings, and furniture materials, such as MDF and particleboard veneered with decorative paper foil, by desiccator's method. The temperature conditions were set up by, measuring the temperature in a Korean under heating system. To maintain an indoor air temperature of 20 degrees C, the temperature of the flooring surface was about 37 degrees C and the temperature of the cement mortar was 50 degrees C. The initial formaldehyde emission of the laminate flooring and plywood flooring was 1.44 and 0.63 mg/l, and for MDF and particleboard it was 4.73 and 4.95 mg/l, respectively. Floor materials were under E1 grade while furniture materials were under E2 grade in terms of formaldehyde emission. Because of the under heating system, the flooring materials were exposed to 37 and 50 degrees C, while the furniture materials mostly existed at room temperature. At 37 and 50 degrees C, the formaldehyde emission level of the flooring materials was already under 0.3 ppm (F level by JIS A 1460, application possibility without area limit) after 10 days and the emission had decreased further (0.03-0.10 mg/l) after 28 days. These levels are not injurious to the human body and will not cause sick house syndrome (SHS). The problem, however, is the furniture materials such as MDF and particleboard. As these materials are not exposed to high temperature (50 degrees C in this experiment) in living condition, it was still E2 grade of formaldehyde emission level at room temperature remained even after 28 days. Although there will be variations with the volume of furniture materials and the indoor conditions, furniture materials are the principal cause of indoor air quality pollution in Korean with the under heating system., Practical Implications: Koreans spend most of their time sitting on ONDOL (heated) floors, with their buttocks always in contact with the floor surface. The flooring materials are exposed to high temperatures (37-50 degrees C) why the effect of bake-out is rapid. The emission of formaldehyde from furniture materials are more important for the IAQ because usually MDF and particleboard of E2 grade are being used as furniture materials in Korea.