Exposure to carbon monoxide in rural households in Kintampo-North municipality, Ghana
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Date
2018-12
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KNUST
Abstract
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, scentless and profoundly poisonous gas, virtually undetectable by an individual during exposure and causes non-specific side effects such as headache or nausea. Accurate estimation of health risks has been hampered by a paucity of quantitative exposure information, with women and children being the main groups exposed to this form of smoke. This study looked at the environmental health risk of exposure to CO from biomass fuel smoke. Carbon monoxide monitoring took place in a total of 60 households purposively selected from Babatokuma, in the Kintampo-North Municipality of Ghana. The cooking technologies studied were the tripod stove of the area, LPG stoves, and a modified version of the tripod stove. Measurements were made on a minute basis using Aeroqual Series 500 (S500) gas monitor. It was discovered that CO concentrations produced during the use of the tripod stove surpassed background values by a large margin (on average by a factor of around ten to twenty times) with high levels of COHb of 23.44 % compared to 7.13 % of the cohort group (LPG). With regards to the improved tripod stove, an independent test revealed that, despite a reduction in CO concentration (of 47.91- 26.703 ppm), the rate of impact is not significant (p = 0.208). The study further revealed that, an increase in the number of windows, significantly reduced CO concentration (r = -0.666, p-value < 0.001). The study results further revealed that, almost all the study population showed mild symptoms from CO exposure, with only few within the moderate zone. LPG users showed no symptoms. Chronic exposure could further worsen the situation, therefore, the improved stove should be constructed by the Municipality as fast as possible to help salvage the situation.
Description
A thesis submitted to the Department of Theoretical and Applied Biology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of
Master of Philosophy Environmental Science