Chemical Characterization and Source Apportionment of Household Fine Particulate Matter in Rural, Peri-urban, and Urban West Africa

• DOI: 10.1021/es404185m
• Publication Date: 2013-12-18T16:26:13Z
• Authors: Zheng Zhou; Kathie L. Dionisio; Thiago G. Verissimo; Americo S. Kerr; Brent Coull; Stephen Howie; Raphael E. Arku; Petros Koutrakis; John D. Spengler; Kimberly Fornace; Allison F. Hughes; Jose Vallarino; Samuel Agyei-Mensah; Majid Ezzati
• Keywords: Firewood; Urban area; Apportionment

Household air pollution in sub-Saharan Africa and other developing regions is an important cause of disease burden. Little known about the chemical composition sources household Africa, how they differ between rural urban homes. We analyzed fine particles (PM2.5) cooking areas multiple neighborhoods Accra, Ghana, peri-urban (Banjul) (Basse) The Gambia. In biomass burning accounted for 39-62% total PM2.5 mass area different neighborhoods; absolute contributions were 10-45 μg/m(3). Road dust vehicle emissions comprised 12-33% mass. Solid waste was also a significant contributor to low-income neighborhood but not those living better-off areas. Banjul Basse, single dominant source cooking-area PM2.5, accounting 74-87% its mass; relative smoke larger households that used firewood than using charcoal, reaching as high 463 μg/m(3) Basse homes cooking. Our findings demonstrate need policies enhance access cleaner fuels both areas, controlling traffic cities Africa.