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Occup Environ Med 2009;66:777-783 doi:10.1136/oem.2008.045013
  • Original article

Biomass fuel use and indoor air pollution in homes in Malawi

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  1. D G Fullerton1,2,
  2. S Semple3,
  3. F Kalambo1,
  4. A Suseno1,2,
  5. R Malamba1,
  6. G Henderson3,
  7. J G Ayres4,
  8. S B Gordon2
  1. 1
    Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Clinical Research Laboratories, Universities of Malawi and Liverpool (UK), Blantyre, Malawi
  2. 2
    Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
  3. 3
    Scottish Centre for Indoor Air, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
  4. 4
    Institute of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
  1. Correspondence to Duncan Fullerton, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool L3 5QA, UK; duncan.fullerton{at}liverpool.ac.uk
  • Accepted 10 June 2009
  • Published Online First 10 August 2009

Abstract

Background: Air pollution from biomass fuels in Africa is a significant cause of mortality and morbidity both in adults and children. The work describes the nature and quantity of smoke exposure from biomass fuel in Malawian homes.

Methods: Markers of indoor air quality were measured in 62 homes (31 rural and 31 urban) over a typical 24 h period. Four different devices were used (one gravimetric device, two photometric devices and a carbon monoxide (HOBO) monitor. Gravimetric samples were analysed for transition metal content. Data on cooking and lighting fuel type together with information on indicators of socioeconomic status were collected by questionnaire.

Results: Respirable dust levels in both the urban and rural environment were high with the mean (SD) 24 h average levels being 226 μg/m3 (206 μg/m3). Data from real-time instruments indicated respirable dust concentrations were >250 μg/m3 for >1 h per day in 52% of rural homes and 17% of urban homes. Average carbon monoxide levels were significantly higher in urban compared with rural homes (6.14 ppm vs 1.87 ppm; p<0.001). The transition metal content of the smoke was low, with no significant difference found between urban and rural homes.

Conclusions: Indoor air pollution levels in Malawian homes are high. Further investigation is justified because the levels that we have demonstrated are hazardous and are likely to be damaging to health. Interventions should be sought to reduce exposure to concentrations less harmful to health.

Footnotes

  • Contributors DGF: data collection and analysis, ethics, literature review, and final paper writing. SS: data collection and analysis, literature review, and paper drafting and writing. FK: data collection and community liaison. GH: sample processing and equipment support and logistics. RM: data collection and community liaison. AS: data collection and analysis. JGA: data analysis, literature review, and paper writing. SBG: design, funding, ethics, data analysis, paper drafting and writing.

  • Funding This work was funded by the Wellcome Trust (Ref. 080065) and is part of a larger project studying the effect of biomass smoke exposure on pulmonary defence mechanisms in a population at risk of HIV-related pneumonia. It forms part of the Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Programme of Research in Clinical Tropical Medicine.

  • Competing interests None.

  • Ethics approval The study was given ethical approval by the Research Ethics Committee of the College of Medicine, University of Malawi and the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.

  • Patient consent Obtained.

  • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

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