[RETRACTED] Scoping Review of Cook Stove Interventions in Africa: Exposure Contrasts and Future Steps v1
Year: 2025
Type: preprint
Abstract: [RETRACTED] Objective: To synthesize existing evidence and gaps through a scoping review of cleaner fuel and modified cook stove interventions in households in Africa regarding changes in concentrations of particulate matter of size 2.5μm (PM2.5), black carbon (BC), and/or carbon monoxide (CO) in the cooking area and/or personal exposures, when compared to traditional cooking methods, such as three stone fire or traditional biomass cook stoves. Introduction: In Africa, solid biomass fuel is frequently used for household cooking, heating, and lighting. This fuel produces hazardous levels of household air pollution (HAP), such as PM2.5, BC, and CO, which can cause significant morbidity and mortality when inhaled. Due to the fact that women spend a disproportionate amount of time in the home cooking or assisting with household activities, it is known that women of childbearing age and young children carry the largest burden of HAP exposure and exposure to HAPs in general. Individuals are especially susceptible to the negative effects of HAP exposure throughout important stages of organ development such as intrauterine, infancy, and early childhood. Socio-cultural factors can influence fuel/stove stacking and mixing (where traditional fuels/stoves are used alongside modern fuels/stoves), which can reduce HAP levels to below World Health Organization indoor air quality (WHO-IAQ) guideline levels. Economic development is ultimately associated with clean fuel transitions. There are many different cleaner fuel options available to reduce HAP exposure levels in the home setting, including improved cook stoves, solar stoves, improved biomass fuels, and behavioral changes. For instance, LPG has the potential to lower HAP levels below WHO-IAQ guideline levels, but not all interventions do so or interim targets. As a result, these interventions are typically harm mitigation measures, with some interventions not even lowering exposure levels. Additional obstacles to the adoption, uptake, and sustained usage of interventions include the cost and accessibility of fuel, cultural and societal preferences, or a lack of funding.
Language: English
Subfield: Pollution
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
OpenAlex ID: W4411368185