Journal
INHALATION TOXICOLOGY
Volume 26, Issue 10, Pages 628-635Publisher
TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
DOI: 10.3109/08958378.2014.946633
Keywords
Biomass burning; outdoor wood furnaces; particulates; PM0.5; PM2.5; wood burning
Categories
Funding
- Tortuga Foundation
- William Bullitt Foundation
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Context: The use of outdoor wood furnaces (OWFs) is common in many parts of the United States. Little published information exists on the concentrations of outdoor and indoor fine particulates found near OWFs. Objective: To compare PM2.5 (cts) and PM0.5 (cts) particle concentrations inside four Connecticut homes located 30.5-259m from OWFs, and inside six Connecticut control homes located more than 2 km from the nearest OWF. Materials and methods: PM2.5 (cts) and PM0.5 (cts) measurements were made with a Dylos light-scattering particulate counter. Results: Mean PM2.5 (cts) concentrations were 4.21 times as great in the four OWF exposed homes than the six control homes (0.302 x 10(6) counts/m(3) versus 0.0718 counts x 10(6) /m(3) p<0.001). The mean PM2.5 (cts) concentrations inside the four OWF exposed homes roughly corresponds to a mass PM2.5 of 37 mu g/m(3), which is above the US EPA 24-h PM2.5 limit of 35 mu g/m(3). Mean PM0.5 (cts) concentrations were 3.44 times as great in the four OWF exposed homes than in the six control homes (0.657 versus 0.191 x 10(6)/m(3) p<0.001). Mean PM2.5 (cts) and PM0.5 (cts) concentrations were significantly higher in the house 259m from an OWF as compared with the mean of the six control homes. Conclusion: Existing regulations, such as the present Connecticut law requiring a 61 meter distance between an OWF and neighboring homes, are not adequate to protect the health of neighboring residents.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available