The study of fuel, coal consumption, and firing conditions of households in Ulaanbaatar and Darkhan cities

Abstract

Background: Household indoor air pollution, especially particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less (PM2.5), has become an environmental and public health problem in recent years. PM2.5 consists of a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets from various indoor sources, such as cooking, firing, smoking, and household cleaning. Because people spend a large amount of their time indoors, often in their homes or workplaces, indoor air quality is one of the most important factors affecting their health and well-being. Sources of indoor PM2.5 vary depending on geographic location, socioeconomic factors, and lifestyle. For example, in urban areas, cooking with raw coal or using unvented stoves can significantly increase indoor PM2.5 levels. In contrast, industrialized areas may be dominated by indoor air pollution from building materials, furniture, and household products. This study aims to elucidate the factors contributing to the increase in PM2.5 pollution in winter, its health impacts, and potential interventions. Aim: To study the fuel, coal consumption, and firing conditions of households in Ulaanbaatar and Darkhan cities in winter. Materials and Methods: The study will be conducted in a cross-sectional research design. The sample of the study was selected by the target sampling method, 248 households in Ulaanbaatar and Darkhan cities to be included in the study. For the collection of research data, Purple Air devices are placed in participating households, and when the device is collected a month later, they fill out a questionnaire, and the 1-month measurement parameters of the indoor Purple Air device are used as research data. The questions were a 7-page questionnaire with 55 questions when placing the equipment and a 3-page questionnaire with 25 questions after the measurement when taking the equipment. Results: A total of 248 households participated in the survey, 120 in Ulaanbaatar and 128 in Darkhan. 54.2% of Ulaanbaatar and 83.3% of Darkhan used traditional stoves, 42.7% of improved or project stoves in Ulaanbaatar, and 14.7% of Darkhan, and 3.1% of other types of stoves in Ulaanbaatar and 2% of Darkhan. There are 5 households in Ulaanbaatar (5.2%), 17 (16.8%) in Darkhan, and 3 (3.1%) households with unsealed chimneys. In addition, there were 10 (8.3%) households in Ulaanbaatar and 28 (21.9%) households in Darkhan using electric heating. The average annual refined fuel and raw coal consumption of households living in gers and houses in Ulaanbaatar and Darkhan cities was 3.3±1.3 tons. The average amount of refined fuel and raw coal used by households in Ulaanbaatar and Darkhan cities was 18±10 kg. Conclusion: The households living in the gers and houses surveyed in Ulaanbaatar and Darkhan cities differ in the type of stoves they use, and in Darkhan city, there are more gaps and holes in the chimney, which is related to the habits and pollutant sources of the population to create a healthy and safe environment. Households in Ulaanbaatar are more in terms of annual and daily consumption of fuel and coal.