Spatial concentration variation of cooking-emitted particles in a residential kitchen

• Published in: Building and environment Vol. 43; no. 5; pp. 871 - 876
• Main Authors: Lai, A.C.K., Ho, Y.W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2008; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Buildings; Buildings. Public works; Cooking; Dispersion; Exact sciences and technology; Indoor air quality; Mixing; Particles; Residential building; Types of buildings; United States; North America; America; Mixing; Cooking; Dispersion; Particles; Indoor air quality; Domestic kitchen; Air quality; Impact study; Concentration; Experimental study; Spatial variation; Residential building; Particle distribution; Numerical simulation
• ISSN: 0360-1323; 1873-684X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2007.01.033

Residential kitchen cooking generates significant amount of gases and particulate pollutants and is regarded as a major pollutant source in residential microenvironments. Existing risk assessments always assume well-mixed condition. We used a portable nephelometer to measure PM3.5 oil particle concentration in a kitchen under low air exchange rate condition. Two sampling locations were chosen: one near (0.3 m) and another far (2.8 m) from the cooking stove. Numerical simulation was also used to model the particle transport in a model kitchen. Particles passing through the pre-defined sampling areas were tracked and counted. The simulated results agree reasonably well with the measured concentration. It shows that concentration at the near-field is almost three times as high as that at the far-field. Exposure assessment results based on well-mixed assumption should be applied with caution.