Potential adverse health effects of wood smoke

Journal Article · Fri Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1989 · Western Journal of Medicine; (USA)

OSTI ID:5043517

Pierson, W E; Koenig, J Q; Bardana, Jr, E J

The use of wood stoves has increased greatly in the past decade, causing concern in many communities about the health effects of wood smoke. Wood smoke is known to contain such compounds as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, aldehydes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and fine respirable particulate matter. All of these have been shown to cause deleterious physiologic responses in laboratory studies in humans. Some compounds found in wood smoke--benzo(a)pyrene and formaldehyde--are possible human carcinogens. Fine particulate matter has been associated with decreased pulmonary function in children and with increased chronic lung disease in Nepal, where exposure to very high amounts of wood smoke occurs in residences. Wood smoke fumes, taken from both outdoor and indoor samples, have shown mutagenic activity in short-term bioassay tests. Because of the potential health effects of wood smoke, exposure to this source of air pollution should be minimal.29 references.

• OSTI ID: 5043517
• Journal Information: Western Journal of Medicine; (USA), Vol. 151:3; ISSN 0093-0415
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ALDEHYDES
HEALTH HAZARDS
BENZOPYRENE
CARBON MONOXIDE
FORMALDEHYDE
NITROGEN OXIDES
PARTICULATES
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
SULFUR OXIDES
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STOVES
WOOD BURNING APPLIANCES
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CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COLLOIDS
CONDENSED AROMATICS
DISPERSIONS
DOCUMENT TYPES
HAZARDS
HYDROCARBONS
MAMMALS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTICLES
PRIMATES
RESIDUES
SOLS
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
VERTEBRATES
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology