Spatial concentration variation of cooking-emitted particles in a residential kitchen

Residential kitchen cooking generates significant amount of gases and particulate pollutants and is regarded as a major pollutant source in residential microenvironments. Existing risk assessments always assume well-mixed condition. We used a portable nephelometer to measure PM3.5 oil particle concentration in a kitchen under low air exchange rate condition. Two sampling locations were chosen: one near (0.3 m) and another far (2.8 m) from the cooking stove. Numerical simulation was also used to model the particle transport in a model kitchen. Particles passing through the pre-defined sampling areas were tracked and counted. The simulated results agree reasonably well with the measured concentration. It shows that concentration at the near-field is almost three times as high as that at the far-field. Exposure assessment results based on well-mixed assumption should be applied with caution. © 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.