Air-Quality Assessment of On-Site Brick-Kiln Worker Housing in Bhaktapur, Nepal: Chemical Speciation of Indoor and Outdoor PM 2.5 Pollution

Steven M. Thygerson, John D. Beard, Marion J. House, Rilee L. Smith, Hunter C. Burbidge, Kathryn N. Andrus, Frank X. Weber, Ryan Chartier and James D. Johnston
Additional contact information
Steven M. Thygerson: Department of Public Health, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
John D. Beard: Department of Public Health, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
Marion J. House: Department of Public Health, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
Rilee L. Smith: Department of Public Health, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
Hunter C. Burbidge: Department of Public Health, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
Kathryn N. Andrus: Department of Public Health, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
Frank X. Weber: RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
Ryan Chartier: RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
James D. Johnston: Department of Public Health, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 21, 1-19

Abstract: Brick workers and their families in Nepal generally live in poorly ventilated on-site housing at the brick kiln, and may be at higher risk for non-occupational exposure to fine particulate matter air pollution and subsequent respiratory diseases due to indoor and outdoor sources. This study characterized non-occupational exposure to PM 2.5 by comparing overall concentrations and specific chemical components of PM 2.5 inside and outside of brick workers’ on-site housing. For all samples, the geometric mean PM 2.5 concentration was 184.65 μg/m 3 (95% confidence interval: 134.70, 253.12 μg/m 3 ). PM 2.5 concentrations differed by kiln number ( p = 0.009). Kiln number was significantly associated with 16 of 29 (55%) air pollutant, temperature, or relative humidity variables. There was not a significant interaction between kiln number and location of sample for PM 2.5 ( p = 0.16), but there was for relative humidity ( p = 0.02) and temperature ( p = 0.01). Results were qualitatively similar when we repeated analyses using indoor samples only. There was no difference in the chemical makeup of indoor and outdoor PM 2.5 in this study, suggesting that outdoor PM 2.5 air pollution easily infiltrates into on-site brick worker housing. Outdoor and indoor PM 2.5 concentrations found in this study far exceed recommended levels. These findings warrant future interventions targeted to this vulnerable population.

Keywords: household air pollution; fine particulate matter; exposure assessment; international occupational health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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