GUWAHATI: Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Mandi (IIT Mandi), in collaboration with Institut National de Recherche et de Sécurité (INRS), France, and the National Physical Laboratory (CSIR-NPL), India, have conducted a groundbreaking study on the detrimental effects of indoor air pollution resulting from traditional cooking practices in rural kitchens across three Northeast Indian states.
The study, led by Bijay Sharma, Ph.D. scholar, and Dr. Sayantan Sarkar, Assistant Professor at IIT Mandi, analyzed the harmful emissions produced during indoor cooking using firewood and mixed biomass in comparison to LPG-based cooking.
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Despite advancements, over 50% of the rural population in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and Meghalaya still relies on traditional solid fuels, leading to significant pollutants being released into the kitchen air.
Researchers measured aerosol concentrations and toxic trace metals during cooking with different fuels and modeled their deposition patterns in the human respiratory system to estimate inhalation exposure. The study estimated the health impact on the rural NE Indian population, focusing on respiratory diseases such as COPD, pneumonia, and various cancers, using the 'Potential Years of Life Lost' (PYLL) metric.
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Findings revealed significantly higher exposure to harmful aerosols and disease burdens among firewood and mixed biomass users compared to LPG users. The potential for oxidative stress, driven by inhalation of metals and organic chemicals, was found to be substantially higher among biomass users.
Dr. Sarkar highlighted the study's unique approach, combining real-world measurements with dosimetry modeling to estimate the impact of cooking emissions and quantify disease burdens and oxidative stress. Practical implications of the research include the urgent need for rural communities to transition to cleaner cooking methods, with recommendations such as improving LPG accessibility, enhancing cookstove programs, spreading awareness, funding local solutions, and organizing health camps for rural women.