Temperature dataloggers as stove use monitors (SUMs)<http://blogs.washplus.org/iaqupdates/2012/10/temperature-dataloggers-...>

OCTOBER 15, 2012 · 0 COMMENTS<http://blogs.washplus.org/iaqupdates/2012/10/temperature-dataloggers-...>

Ruiz-Mercado I, Canuz E, Smith KR. (2012). Temperature dataloggers as stove use monitors (SUMs): Field methods and signal analysis. Online / Article In-Press (final version forthcoming). Biomass and Bioenergy (2012), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2012.09.003

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We report the field methodology of a 32-month monitoring study with temperature dataloggers as Stove Use Monitors (SUMs) to quantify usage of biomass cookstoves in 80 households of rural Guatemala. The SUMs were deployed in two stoves types: a well operating chimney cookstove and the traditional open-cookfire. We recorded a total of 31,112 days from all chimney cookstoves, with a 10% data loss rate. To count meals and determine daily use of the stoves we implemented a peak selection algorithm based on the instantaneous derivatives and the statistical long-term behavior of the stove and ambient temperature signals. Positive peaks with onset and decay slopes exceeding predefined thresholds were identified as “fueling events”, the minimum unit of stove use. Adjacent fueling events detected within a fixed-time window were clustered in single “cooking events” or “meals.”

The observed means of the population usage were: 89.4% days in use from all cookstoves and days monitored, 2.44 meals per day and 2.98 fueling events. Wef ound that at this study site a single temperature threshold from the annual distribution of daily ambient temperatures was sufficient to differentiate days of use with 0.97 sensitivity and 0.95 specificity compared to the peak selection algorithm. With adequate placement, standardized data collection protocols and careful data management the SUMs can provide objective stove-use data with resolution, accuracy and level of detail not possible before.The SUMs enable unobtrusive monitoring of stove-use behavior and its systematic evaluation with stove performance parameters of air pollution, fuel consumption and climate altering emissions.

Social, economic, and resource predictors of variability in household air pollution from cookstove emissions<http://blogs.washplus.org/iaqupdates/2012/10/social-economic-and-reso...>

OCTOBER 12, 2012 · 0 COMMENTS<http://blogs.washplus.org/iaqupdates/2012/10/social-economic-and-reso...>

PLoS One. Oct 3 2012;7(10)

Social, economic, and resource predictors of variability in household air pollution from cookstove emissions.

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Yadama GN, Peipert J, Sahu M, Biswas P, Dyda V. George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America.

We examine if social and economic factors, fuelwood availability, market and media access are associated with owning a modified stove and variation in household emissions from biomass combustion, a significant environmental and health concern in rural India. We analyze cross-sectional household socio-economic data, and PM(2.5) and particulate surface area concentration in household emissions from cookstoves (n = 100).

This data set combines household social and economic variables with particle emissions indexes associated with the household stove. The data are from the Foundation for Ecological Society, India, from a field study of household emissions. In our analysis, we find that less access to ready and free fuelwood and higher wealth are associated with owning a replacement/modified stove.

We also find that additional kitchen ventilation is associated with a 12% reduction in particulate emissions concentration (p<0.05), after we account for the type of stove used. We did not find a significant association between replacement/modified stove on household emissions when controlling for additional ventilation. Higher wealth and education are associated with having additional ventilation.

Social caste, market and media access did not have any effect on the presence of replacement or modified stoves or additional ventilation. While the data available to us does not allow an examination of direct health outcomes from emissions variations, adverse environmental and health impacts of toxic household emissions are well established elsewhere in the literature.

The value of this study is in its further examination of the role of social and economic factors and available fuelwood from commons in type of stove use, and additional ventilation, and their effect on household emissions. These associations are important since the two direct routes to improving household air quality among the poor are stove type and better ventilation.