Exposures to Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) among Rural and Urban Households in Southern India in Relation to Primary Cooking Fuels

Background: Emissions from cooking fuels that include many health damaging pollutants such as fine particulate matter and a range of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are a major public health concern in low and middle income countries (LMICs). Despite the ubiquity of exposures in India, VOC profiles in rural and urban households are poorly understood. Methods: We report results from cooking period measurements conducted in 112 (56 biomass, 23 kerosene and 34 gas using ) rural and urban households that were part of the larger Tamil Nadu Air Pollution and Health Effects (TAPHE) cohort study in Southern India. Samples were collected on a mixed-bed sorbent (Tenax and Carbopack) tubes. Active air sampling was performed using pre-calibrated constant flow pumps (SKC Inc., PA, USA) set to a flow rate of 0.1 L/min for 100 min. An automated thermal desorption unit connected to GC-MS system was used to quantify 59 VOCs. Pentafluorobenzene, 1,4-difluorobenzene and chlorobenzene-d...