In-kitchen aerosol exposure in twelve cities across the globe

A study of 60 low-income homes across 12 cities in Asia, Latin America, and Africa found that fuel type, kitchen volume, cooking methods, and ventilation are the primary drivers of in-kitchen particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) exposure.

• In-kitchen exposure to particulate matter is primarily influenced by fuel, kitchen volume, cooking type, and ventilation. Different cuisines lead to varying cooking durations and exposures; for example, occupants in Dhaka, Nanjing, Dar-es-Salaam, and Nairobi spent over 40% of cooking time frying, the highest particle emitting activity, while those in Cairo, Sulaymaniyah, and Akure spent approximately 68% of time boiling or stewing.
• The highest average PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations were recorded in Dhaka (185 ± 48 and 220 ± 58 μg m−3, respectively) due to prolonged cooking, extensive frying, and small kitchens, whereas the lowest were in Medellín (10 ± 3 and 14 ± 2 μg m−3). Kitchens smaller than 15 m3, specifically in Dhaka and Nanjing, increased exposure compared to larger kitchens in Medellín, Cairo, and Sulaymaniyah.
• Ventilation and fuel choices significantly impact air quality: dual mechanical and natural ventilation in Chennai, Cairo, and Sulaymaniyah reduced PM2.5 and PM10 by 2.3 and 1.8 times, respectively, compared to natural ventilation (open doors) in Addis Ababa, Dar-es-Salaam, and Nairobi. Additionally, using charcoal in Addis Ababa, Blantyre, and Nairobi increased PM2.5 levels by 1.3 to 3.1 times compared to using natural gas in Nanjing, Medellín, and Cairo, or LPG in Chennai, São Paulo, and Sulaymaniyah.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (2022). In-kitchen aerosol exposure in twelve cities across the globe. https://www.sei.org/publications/in-kitchen-aerosol-exposure-in-twelve-cities-across-the-globe/

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. In-kitchen aerosol exposure in twelve cities across the globe. 2022. https://www.sei.org/publications/in-kitchen-aerosol-exposure-in-twelve-cities-across-the-globe/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=In-kitchen aerosol exposure in twelve cities across the globe |date=25 April 2022 |url=https://www.sei.org/publications/in-kitchen-aerosol-exposure-in-twelve-cities-across-the-globe/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitute2022inkitchen, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{In-kitchen aerosol exposure in twelve cities across the globe}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2022}, month = apr, url = {https://www.sei.org/publications/in-kitchen-aerosol-exposure-in-twelve-cities-across-the-globe/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }