Health Risk Assessment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons from Cooking Fuels burning in Nigeria

Abstract

Cooking activities are an important source of indoor air pollution which contributes significantly to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the environment. This study investigated sixteen (16) priority PAHs emitted from smoke in eight (8) cooking fuels commonly used in Nigeria. Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) was used for sample analysis and the potential health risk associated with exposure to PAHs were evaluated. The highest total quantified PAHs concentration was obtained from the burning of palm kernel fiber with an average ΣPAHs of 14.06 mg/kg. The result showed a variation in the average concentration of 10.82 − 14.06 mg/kg for all the cooking fuels. 3-ringed PAHs were found to be the dominant PAHs in the samples considered in terms of concentrations and frequency of occurrence at 7.03-9.42 mg/kg. Benzo[a]anthracene was the most abundant PAHs in biomass materials while Benzo[a]pyrene was the most abundant in liquified petroleum gas and Benzo[b]fluoranthene in kerosene. The cancer risk for both the children and adult obtained for all the cooking fuel samples were less than ${10}^{-6}$ which is satisfactory except in sawdust which has a value of $1.30\times {10}^{-5}$ and $1.44\times {10}^{-5}$ for child and adult, respectively. It is recommended that cleaner cooking fuels be used in well-ventilated environments to reduce exposure to these pollutants.

Highlights

• Sixteen priority PAHs in emissions from the burning of eight cooking fuels in Nigeria were investigated

• Emission sources of the PAHs were identified using diagnostic ratios

• Health risks of PAHs in emissions from the burning of cooking fuels is higher in adult

Keywords:

• PAH
• benzo[a]pyrene toxicity
• cancer risk
• Benzo[a]anthracene
• solid fuels

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.