Determinants of Air Pollution Exposures in Urban Charcoal-Using Households in Sub-Saharan Africa

STEPHANIE PARSONS, Joseph Pedit, Cheryl Weyant, Pamela Jagger, Andrew Grieshop, North Carolina State University

     Abstract Number: 484
     Working Group: Identifying and Addressing Disparate Health and Social Impacts of Exposure to Aerosols and Other Contaminants across Continents, Communities, and Microenvironments

Abstract
Cooking with solid fuels, such as wood and charcoal, is prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa and associated with high air pollution exposures. Interventions with cleaner fuels, such as LPG, have targeted these populations, but have often been unsuccessful due to fuel price and availability. While sub-Saharan Africa has rapidly urbanizing populations who often use charcoal, these populations are studied less than those in rural areas where wood use is prevalent. Urban exposures are complex because a wider variety of sources beyond cooking influence exposure. Here, we synthesize personal exposure measurements from three cities in sub-Saharan Africa and investigate the influence of cooking and other factors on exposure within and between sites. We collected household demographic information and carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter (PM_2.5) personal exposure of primary cooks in the following sites and time periods: Lilongwe, Malawi (2014, n=120); Gisenyi, Rwanda (2015-2020, n=2521); and Lusaka, Zambia (2019, 2021, n=662). We use diverse remote sensing and reanalysis data sets (e.g., MERRA-2, AIRS, VNP46A3) of ambient concentrations and meteorological parameters for each site to estimate the contribution of solid fuel use versus regional background to personal exposures. Generally, CO exposures increased and PM_2.5 exposures decreased with increased urbanicity. Season plays a crucial role in exposure: exposure was 50% lower in Zambia during the warm season compared to the cold, and PM_2.5 exposure in Rwanda differed significantly between seasons. We will compare distributions of site-specific exposures and ambient concentrations to determine to what extent regional background concentrations, versus community- or household-level determinants, contribute to variation in cooks’ personal exposures.