Volatile organic compounds exposure and respiratory symptoms among children residing in rural solid fuel using households South India

Abstract

Exposures to volatile organic compounds VOCs cause respiratory symptoms among children a known vulnerable group Reports on exposures to VOCs and respiratory symptoms among South Indian children living in biomass using households are not available thus far. A cross sectional study was conducted among 313 rural children to assess the influence of emitted VOCs on their respiratory health Standard analytical procedures for VOCs and Pulmonary Function Test PFT allied questionnaires and all ethical considerations were fulfilled in the study The increase in VOC concentrations was observed proportional to the amount of burnt biomass fuel and the cooking duration in two selected sites in Tamil Nadu TN and Andhra Pradesh AP Diagnostic ratios with Benzene/Toluene BT and Xylene Ethyl benzene XE confirmed the presence of VOCs emissions from adjacent cooking fuels only newlinePearsons correlation also confirmed that the source of VOCs was same Respiratory symptoms such as cough chest congestion wheezing chest illness dust allergy and family history was found associated with cooking time indoor VOCs This study reports a reduced lung function for a considerable proportion of the VOC exposed selected children Based on ATS questionnaire data the children who were reported for having any respiratory symptoms have been exposed to higher concentration of TVOCs compared to normal children The observed results of this study recommend cleaner cooking fuel use for better respiratory health among the citizens across the country, which in turn in line with the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana PMUY Government of India newline newline