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Reduction of Exposure to Ultrafine Particles by Kitchen Exhaust Hoods: The Effects of Varying Flow Rates, Particle Size, and Burner Position

Published

Author(s)

Dong H. Rim, Lance L. Wallace, Steven J. Nabinger, Andrew K. Persily

Abstract

Cooking stoves are one of the most common combustion sources of indoor ultrafine particles (UFP). UFP have been observed to be associated with adverse health effects such as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. This study investigates the effectiveness of a kitchen range hood in reducing indoor levels of UFP emitted from a gas stove and oven. Experimental measurements in a manufactured test house monitored size-resolved UFP (2 nm to 100 nm) concentrations. An automated system consisting of a gas chromatograph with an electron capture detector (GC-ECD) monitored the decay of a tracer gas (sulfur hexafluoride, SF6) in seven locations within the house to determine the building air change rate. The results show that range hood flow rate and burner position (front vs. rear) can have strong effects on the reduction of indoor levels of UFP released from the stove and oven and subsequent reductions in occupant exposure to UFP.
Citation
Science of the Total Environment
Volume
432

Keywords

exposure, ultrafine particles, kitchen exhaust hoods, combustion, measurements

Citation

Rim, D. , Wallace, L. , Nabinger, S. and Persily, A. (2012), Reduction of Exposure to Ultrafine Particles by Kitchen Exhaust Hoods: The Effects of Varying Flow Rates, Particle Size, and Burner Position, Science of the Total Environment, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=910814 (Accessed April 16, 2024)
Created June 6, 2012, Updated February 19, 2017