Asian Journal of Fundamental and Applied Sciences e-ISSN: 2716-5957 | Vol. 3, No. 3, 1-7, 2022 http://myjms.mohe.gov.my/index.php/ajfas 1 Copyright © 2022 ASIAN SCHOLARS NETWORK - All rights reserved A Preliminary Study on Fine Particulate Matter and Carbon Monoxide at a Cooking Food Sector Mohamad Azhar Mohd Noor 1 , Azli Abd Razak 2 , Ahmad Zia Ul-Saufie Mohamad Japeri 3 , Siti Nurshahida Nazli 1* 1 Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Cawangan Pulau Pinang Kampus Bertam, Kepala Batas, Malaysia 2 School of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam, Malaysia 3 Faculty of Computer and Mathematical Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam, Malaysia *Corresponding Author: shidafsk@uitm.edu.my Accepted: 15 August 2022 | Published: 1 September 2022 DOI: https://doi.org/10.55057/ajfas.2022.3.3.1 _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Abstract: The study investigates the trends of particulate matter in diameter 2.5 microns and carbon monoxide in a cooking food sector located in Pulau Pinang. The study aims to assess the concentration of pollutants in a manufacturing area with different food processing. Four sampling locations were selected for the study. Samples were collected at 8-hr Time Weighted Average (TWA) for four consecutive days using IQ-610 Graywolf and EVM-7 following the standard method by the ICOP-IAQ 2010. Data analysis found that PM2.5 had exceeded about ten times the concentration of the regulated standard in a cooking area. Carbon monoxide had not exceeded the standard in other areas except the grinding area. Temperature levels had also exceeded the permissible range at all locations with more than 30°C. The findings indicate major issues of PM2.5 and temperature which indicate a need for further research to be carried out to tackle the issue. Keywords: PM2.5, carbon monoxide, indoor air quality, cooking food sector ___________________________________________________________________________ 1. Introduction Indoor air quality (IAQ) has been one of the most significant environmental problems worldwide due to the impacts towards the building occupants (Aris, 2013; Ismail et al., 2010). Despite of this fact, many studies have focuses on outdoor pollutants trends while lacks information are found on indoor trends (Mohd Shukri Mohd Aris, 2017). Studies on IAQ has been carried out extensively at homes, schools, hospitals, commercial buildings, and offices buildings. Yet, none was found in small and medium food sectors whereby this industry is known to support the economy of Malaysia. A study by Mccann et al., (2013) supported that exposure to pollutants from cooking appliance causes health risk and study is needed so that intervention can further be identified and implemented especially at workplace where cooking is conducted extensively daily. Besides other factors, cooking has been identified to cause significant impacts on the quality of the indoor air. Among the more common pollutants indoors include fine particles (PM2.5) and carbon monoxide (CO) (Santamouris et al., 2007). Among indoor air pollutants, PM2.5 is at greater concern as they can travel to smaller airways of the lower respiratory tract including trachea,