Carbon Monoxide Concentrations in Kitchens of Gas-fired Burners, Karachi, Pakistan

Abstract

In this study, gas-fired kitchens of 54 bungalows and 25 apartments were studied using stationary indoor carbon monoxide (CO) monitoring. The levels of CO were measured in each kitchen for a period of 24 h with a 1 min resolution using data logger EL-USB-CO300. Hourly, 8 h and 24 h, CO means for all the kitchens were calculated. Hourly and 24 h CO means of kitchens for bungalows were 3.72±6.26 ppm and 3.72±3.16 ppm, respectively, while those apartments have 3.74±6.96 ppm and 3.74±2.17 ppm, respectively. 8 h CO means of night, day and evening in the kitchens of bungalows were 2.62±3.22 ppm, 4.85±4.66 ppm and 3.53±3.30 ppm, respectively, while in apartments 2.13±2.02 ppm, 3.79±3.86 ppm and 5.29±4.17 ppm. The mean difference between the 8 h CO concentrations during the evening in bungalows and apartments was 1.76±0.87 ppm (P<0.01). 20% of kitchens apartment and 16.67% of bungalows which exceeded the WHO guidelines for daily exposure limit.