Predicting Exposure Levels of Respirable Particulate Matter (PM2.5) and Carbon monoxide for the Cook from Combustion of Cooking Fuels Vinod Joon * , Harshika Kumari * , Avinash Chandra * * Centre for Energy Studies, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas,, New Delhi-110016, India Email : joonveenu@gmail.com M. Bhattacharya ** ** Department of Community Health Administration, National Institute of Health & Family Welfare, Munirka, New Delhi- 110067, India Email : cha_nihfw@yahoo.co.in Abstract. The use of biomass fuels for cooking is the largest source of indoor air pollution in India, particularly in rural areas. The emissions of particulate matter less than 2.5 micron (PM2.5) and carbon monoxide (CO) were monitored during cooking and non-cooking periods in rural households of Jhajhar district of Haryana. The fuel/stove combinations monitored for emissions include various stoves types (Chulah, Hara and LPG) and fuel types (dung cake, crop residues, wood, and LPG) thus representing a large fraction of the total fuel/stove combinations used in study area. The CO concentration during cooking varied from 3.36 ppm for LPG to 157 ppm for crop residue/Chulah. Similarly PM2.5 concentration during cooking varied from 4.69 μg/m 3 for gas/LPG stove to 11000 μg/m 3 for dung cake/Chulah. Combining the results of time activity pattern of cook and PM2.5 and CO concentrations during cooking and non-cooking periods, exposure estimates for cook were calculated. Average 24-hour exposure for CO for Gas/LPG stove was 0.44 ppm, for wood/Chulah was 17.2492 ppm, for crop residue/Chulah was 19.34 ppm, for dung cakes/Chulah was 33.50 ppm and for mix fuel was 17.7167 ppm. The value of average 24 hour PM2.5 for gas/LPG stove was 25.67 μg/m 3 , for wood/Chulah was 222.69 μg/m, 3 for crop residue/Chulah was 393.39 μg/m, 3 for dung cake/Chulah was 774.5190 μg/m, 3 and for mix fuel/Chulah 376.40 μg/m. 3 The database can be used to have an estimate of CO and PM2.5 emissions for areas with similar fuel use patterns. In households with limited ventilation as is common in rural household, exposures experienced by household members, particularly women who spend a large proportion of their time in kitchen, have been measured to be many times higher than WHO guidelines and national standards. Keywords: cooking; exposure; PM2.5; Carbon monoxide; fuel. 1 Introduction Cooking is central to our lives. Nearly half the world cook with solid fuels such as dung cakes, wood, agricultural residues and coal. More than 2 billion people of the world, mostly in poor, developing countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America, rely on biomass fuels as the primary source of domestic energy [1]. Majority of India’s people still reside in rural areas [2] and use a variety of fuels like wood dung, crop residue, coal, kerosene, LPG and biogas to meet household energy demands. The choice of fuel mainly depends on the income of household and availability of fuel. Besides economic reason, there are some socio-cultural practices that influence people’s fuel choice [3]. Therefore solid biomass fuels are used even in areas with access to modern fuels. According to the 61st round of the National Sample Survey of India, 84% of rural households rely on biomass as their primary cooking fuel [4]. The traditional stove called ‘chulah’ is most 229 2011 International Conference on Chemistry and Chemical Process IPCBEE vol.10 (2011) © (2011) IACSIT Press, Singapore